CONFIDENTIAL
CYPHER/CAT.A
HONG KONG
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
HONG KONG TEINO.56 TO WASHINGTON
CONFIDENTIAL
[NEUTRAL]
13 DECEMBER, 1969
ADDRESSED TO WASHINGTON TELEGRAM NO. 56 OF 13 DECEMBER REPEATED
FOR INFORMATION TO UKMIS GENEVA AND F C 0.
FOR HERMANN.
LAST
REF.
163
NEXT
PC CIVED IN REGISTRY NO.31
1ODEC 1969
REF.
YOUR TELEGRAM 75: PREFERENCES.
АКК
166
WHILE THE SPANISH MOVE IS INTERESTING AND SHOULD GIVE A CLEARER
PICTURE OF THE AMERICAN ATTITUDE TO THE PRINCIPLE OF SELF-ELECTION,
WE DO NOT CONSIDER THAT WE CAN FOLLOW THAT LEAD AT PRESENT BECAUSE
THE U.S. PROPOSAL:
A) IS SUBJECT TO A GENERALISED SCHEME BEING ADOPTED, OTHERWISE
THEY MIGHT LIMIT THEIR SCHEME TO THE AMERICAS,
(B)
EXCLUDES ANY DEVELOPING COUNTRY GRANTING REVERSE PREFERENCES
TO DEVELOPED COUNTRIES.
2. AS HONG KONG'S EXPORTS TO U.S. (EXCLUDING TEXTILES AND SHOES)
COMPRISE SOME 25% OF OUR TOTAL DOMESTIC EXPORTS (INCLUDING TEXTILES
AND SHOES), WE MIGHT HAVE TO CONSIDER ABANDONING COMMONWEALTH
PREFERENCE TO QUALIFY UNDER THE U.S. SCHEME IF IT PROCEEDS,
ESPECIALLY IF NEIGHBOURING ASIAN COUNTRIES ARE ELIGIBLE TO
PARTICIPATE. MEANWHILE WE ARE PUTTING TOGETHER THE INFORMATION
REQUESTED IN YOUR PARA. 3 WITH A VIEW TO YOUR USING IT SELECTIVELY
WHEN OCCASION ARISES,
CONFIDENTIAL
/FCO
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.