TNAG-0046-FCO40-82-Britain-s-entry-into-EEC-effect-on-trade-with-Hong-Kong-1967 — Page 169

CONFIDENTIAL

40 EC5/2460/1

Mv w.s. Carter

(Atma Kong & West-

indian depi- "C")

Any

obs please?

Cantand

4.8.69

H.631.

R&R pt.

MG

7.8.67

Mr Gallagher

Hong Kong

I have already circulated (under cover of my Minute of 3 August) a draft letter to the Board of Trade about the questions raised by Hong Kong officials in the course of their consultations with us on E.E.C. matters in July concerning Hong Kong's GATT rights.

2. I now attach a draft brief on the second round of consultations with Hong Kong officials covering all the other subjects which are likely to arise. I should be grateful if any comments from yourself, or the other recipients of this Minute, could reach me by 11 August. Subject to the comments I receive, I will then amend the draft and ciroulate it for consideration by other interested departments, namely, the Foreign office, the Board of Trade, the Treasury and D.E.A.

3.

It may be helpful to record that I have written to Mr Haddon-Cave about dates for the consultations. I have told him that Sir A. Snelling will be attending the Commonwealth Finance Ministers' meeting in Trinidad from 18-21 September, and expects thereafter to undertake a short tour in the Caribbean accompanying Mr Whitlock, and not returning to the Commonwealth Office until the second week in October. I have taken advantage of this letter to ask Mr Haddon-Cave whether we could have, in advance of the next round of consultations, the assesament of the way in which Hong Kong officials think the application of the common external tariff will bear on different categories of their textile exports to Britain referred to in paragraph 8 of the draft.

(C. J. Audland)

4 August, 1967.

Copies (with attachment) to:

Mr Shannon,

Mr Carter,

Mr Selwyn, Mr Healey, Mr Key.

CONFIDENT)