Ed. (3746)
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
CONFIDENTIAL
Registry No.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
Top Secret.
Secret.
Confidential.
Restricted. Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
In Confidence
DRAFT
LETTER
Type 1 +
2
50
To:-
From
E. Bolland Esq.,
Far Eastern Department,
Foreign Office,
London, S.W.1.
Mr. W.S. Carter
Telephone No. & Ext.
Department
Copy To M
Audland
(may
As you know, consideration is being given to the
position of Hong Kong in the event of Britain securing entry
to the Common Market and especially to ways and means of
reducing the damage to her trade which might the twiga
ensue.
2. One threat to Hong Kong lies in the possibility that
W
the E.E.C. or a member State should disregard her rights
under the G.A.T.T. Hong Kong's participation in the
G.A.T.T. is through the accession of the United Kingdom,
the Metropolitcan power, so that redress for Hong Kong
would have to be sought by Britain. But, as a member of
the enlarged Community, we might find it difficult to speak,
of the Community up in the G.A.T.T. against a fellow member Amongst various
courses which have been suggested whereby Hong Kong could be
protected against such a development, and one which has
perhaps fewest negotiating objections, is for Britain to
conduct
devolve full autonomy in the course of her external
The Colony
St
commercial relations upon ber. She would be enabled thereby
it's
to become a Contracting Party to the G.A.T.T. in her own
it's
right and to fight her own battles.
Devolution would be
effected by Britain sending a formal declaration to the
G.A.T.T. Secretariat that Hong Kong now had full autonomy
ds
in the conduct of her external trade realtions and the
CONFIDENTIAL
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