DRAFT SPEAKING NOTE FOR CALL ON MR MACINNES, UK REPRESENTATIVE
TO THE OECD BY JOSEPH WONG, HONG KONG'S REPRESENTATIVE TO THE
GATT
Objectives
- To offer firm and constructive support for Hong Kong's request for observership to the OECD Trade Committee.
To gain a full understanding of Hong Kong objectives, and the tactics they propose to adopt in order to achieve their objectives. And the role, if any, they would like us to play.
To ensure that Hong Kong are aware of sensitivities possibly
held by others, that they will need to answer; both related
to the trade committee (overcrowding, need to fully absorb new
observers before admitting more, precedent) and to 1997 (Hong
Kong not a Trojan horse for China).
Points to Make
Hong Kong has a excellent reputation in the trade field. Also major player in volume terms. Believe that Hong Kong is
able to make a full and constructive contribution to the trade
committee and will support any application for observership.
- Has Hong Kong taken any soundings of other members? Their reaction? Secretariat's views? What next? When do you plan to file application? In what terms?
- Fear that it may not be plain sailing. First concern, that we might normally share, is that the trade committee is becoming overcrowded. Now have Korea, Mexico, Poland,
Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia as well as original
24 plus EC. Genuine feeling amongst some members that we need
to shut the door some time otherwise committee will become
unwieldy. Will need to argue carefully that Hong Kong will be a contributor as well as a beneficiary and will set a good example to emerging Asian traders. And that in economic