TNAG-0047-FCO40-83-Britain-s-entry-into-EEC-effect-on-trade-with-Hong-Kong-1967 — Page 7

Registry No.

HWB 6/18

DRAFT

MINUTE

Type 1 +

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

To:-

470

From

W.S. Carter

Telephone No. & Ext.

о

Top Secret.

Secret.

Confidential.

Restricted.

Unclassified.

PRIVACY MARKING

In Confidence

Copies to:

Mr. P. Selwyn

Mr. J.M. Healey

Mr. Gallagher

Mr..C.J. Audland,

Common Market Dept.,

Commonwealth Office.

Department

Hong Kong

U.K./E.E.C. Draft Negotiating Brief

on Hong Kong

I am sorry to have been so long in letting you have my comments on the draft negotiating brief

prepared by Mr. Healey. You may, however, be

The

aware of their tenor from a discussion Brown had

ņ

with Healey on 11 December.

2. With regard to the Hong Kong suggestion that

Britain should move at the beginning of the

transitional period to a different system of

origin for Commonwealth preferences, based on the

criterionof a change of state resulting from a

manufacturing process, I am inclined to agree

that without a much more convincing case by Hong

Kong it is sensible to omit reference to it in the

negotiating brief. We could reconsider the

question if Hong Kong does produce a good case why-

that merits on taking, a second look at the question. action should be taken.

3.

Ar.

Selwyn commented on the omission from the

brief of any reference to the possible loss of

Hong Kong's G.A.T.T. rights in relation to the

E.E.C. if we join the Community.

Whilst I agree

that the problem is a serious one for Hong Kong, I

doubt whether the negotiating brief is the place to

mention it. Perhaps, in order to stress its

/ importance

Ed. (3746)

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