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Hong Kon
4. I explained, and Brouwer confirmed the state of play on the question of getting a Commission delegate appointed to Hong Kong. I asked and van den Broek readily agreed that we should be informally consulted before the final selection. I also said that I saw a case for someone with real representational skills, who would be reasonably high profile. Best of all would be if the choice were made before 2 April, when the Governor would be here, seeing Delors. It would play particularly well in Hong Kong if the Governor could be seen to meet the Commission delegate-designate. van den Broek said that this seemed an excellent idea: he would look into its
feasibility.
Falklands
5. I then briefed van den Broek on Marin's misdeeds over the EC/Argentina Fisheries Agreement. van den Broek, who is no Marin fan, took careful note, and agreed
and agreed to explore whether the Commission might come
come forward with a proposed mandate for the negotiation of a parallel EC/UK Dependent Territories agreement. I said that it would also be helpful if the Commission could avoid pressing for rapid Council action on the EC/Argentina agreement, so allowing time for work on our proposed UK/Argentina agreement. van den Broek looked quizzical, and asked about the relevant Council decision-making procedure: I confirmed that it was QMV, but I added that the Germans would probably join us in wanting it thoroughly examined.
Rushdie
6.
I briefed van den Broek on the assurances we were seeking from Tehran. I said that I doubted if we would secure them. In the absence of such assurances, we hoped that the Commission would do nothing to warm up EC/Iran relations. van den Broek said that we need have no worries on this score, as far as he was concerned.
Maastricht.
7.
I briefed van den Broek on where matters now stood at Westminster, including on Amendment 27, and the Liberals' attitude to it. His only question was whether, the Danes having picked a late-May date for their referendum, UK ratification before October was now out of the question. I said that the Danes hadn't helped, but that UK ratification before the summer break need not yet be absolutely excluded.
que.
John Kerr
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1.
TOTAL P.06