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indirect effect of the restrictions was not confined to Hong Kong's exports to France. Through the withering of commercial contacts that resulted they also limited the growth of French exports to Hong Kong's open and free market. Thus French exports to Hong Kong were well below those of Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy, their partners in the Community, although still significantly larger than Hong Kong's expo: ts to France. A loosening of the restrictions, on the other hand, could be of benefit to both sides. It would result in a profitable increase in two way trade which would, in particular, help both French consumers and French exporters of sophisticated products to Hong hong.
5. I concluded by saying that these matters had been drawn to the attention of the French authorities at informal trade talks held recently in Hong Kong. We recognised that some products had been liberalised and most quetas increased to some extent, and that efforts were being made to improve the licensing system. But we hoped that the French government would feel able to move more quickly in the direction of liberalisation and, in particular, would liberalise the two products which were restricted only to Hong Kong, the quotas on which were therefore particularly discriminatory.
6.
He
In his reply Colmant was relatively restrained. confirmed the accuracy of the factual parts of my intervention and said that he had taken note of what had been said and would pass it on to his authorities, particularly with regard to the two items restricted only to Hong Kong. He added that there had been what he called "bilateral discussions" betwee the French and Hong Kong Governments recently and, followin these, the French Government had agreed to increases in quotas and to some liberalisation of the licensing system.
7. That completed the formal exchanges. Before the meeting, however, Colmant had approached me to ask what I was going to say. He was enquiring, he said sarcastically, "on behalf of Fresident Poher" (it was the day of de Gaulle's resignation and Colmant, a fervent Gaullist, had just spent a fruitless weekend driving from Geneva to Cherbourg to vote "oui" in the Referendum). I replied that I would not behar "like a typical developing country delegate in UNCTAD", but that I would have to place on record that the quotas on Hong Kong were very restrictive and that they were discriminatory and dubious in relation to the provisions of the GATT. was factual and none of it could surely be denied. The Industrial Froducts Committee was, after all, the Committee examining non-tariff barriers and what we were complaining about were non-tariff barriers. Colmant then changed his tack by saying, jokingly, that liong Kong was a colony and France was opposed to colonialism. I replied that nevertheless France seemed to be doing very well in administering her own colonies and that, in any case, this had nothing to do with the position in GATT. He then said that not only "departements" but also "territoires" d'outre mer were not colonies as the inhabitants were French citizens but that, if we wished to do so, France would not complain if the United Kingdom restricted imports from Tahiti. I repeat this to show the level of the conversation. Afterwards at a cocktail party I saw Colmant again and, perhaps in more cerious mood, he said that ". have had your say in G^TT but that the best way to proceed you
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