TNAG-0046-FCO40-82-Britain-s-entry-into-EEC-effect-on-trade-with-Hong-Kong-1967 — Page 176

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they would prefer a declaration relating to dependent Territories generally to one specifically referring to Hong Kong. The latter

ould draw attention to Hong Kong, which by definition would be something we were trying to avoid in the context of our negotiations with the Six and which we always tried to avoid in the context of our relations with China.

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If Hong Kong officials revert to this question,we might tell them that their suggestion has given rise to the following thoughts on our part.

(a) Would a declaration be negotiable with the Six?

Clearly a declaration of this kind, even if it were to be unilateral as Hong Kong officials have suggested, would have to be discussed with the Six in advance. We could not suddenly pull it out of the hat at the signing ceremony. The readiness or otherwise of the Six to agree that a declaration should be made would depend on what it was going to contain (see below). It is in any case impossible to offer any very confident opinion as to the reactions of the Six in advance. But it is relevant that, in the last negotiations, the Six, prompted by the French, would not agree to including in a conference text references to British responsibility for Hong Kong, and the need to have regard for the living standards of its inhabitants, unless mention were also made of the need to protect industry in the Community from damage resulting from imports of all kinds from Hong Kong. The Six would of course realise, even if our proposed declaration referred to dependent Territories generally, that it was in fact addressed to the case of Hong Kong. There is thus a likдihood that, by raising the question of a declaration, we should prompt the very demand for protection of Community producers from Hong Kong competition which it is the whole aim of the "no special arrangements" gambit to avoid. The more explicit a declaration was in addressing itself to the problems of Hong Kong, the greater this liklihood would be.

e

(b) If we were to propose a declaration, should we aim for a

unilateral one by the United Kingdom or a joint one by all members of an enlarged Community?

embers of the

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Hong Kong officials did not at any stage suggest the possibility of a joint declaration by all enlarged Community. Nevertheless, if there is to be a declaration of any kind, this is something which should be considered. Obviously, if we could obtain some kind of acceptance by the Hember countries of the enlarged Community of a degree of responsibility for helping to solve the

problems of our dependent Territories, and particularly

/Hong Kong

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