CYPHER/CAT A.
RESTRICTED
PRIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELNO 583
RESTRICTED
NEUTRAL
LAST
REF
TOP COP
TO HONG KONG
29 AUGUST 1969
(HKD)
MA
REF.
101) (102
ADDRESSED TO GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELNO 583 OF 29 AUGUST REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO OTTAWA
TEXTLILE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA.
FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF SUGGESTED STATEMENT TO TEXTILE ADVISORY
BOARD AGREED AT MEETING ATTENDED BY REPRESENTATIVES OF BOARD
OF TRADE, F.C.0. AND JORDAN.
BEGINS
THE CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION IS THAT HMG IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
CONDUCT OF HONG KONG'S EXTERNAL RELATIONS (INCLUDING COMMERCIAL RELATIONS).
2.
NEVERTHELESS, HMG HAVE RECOGNISED THAT IN MATTERS NOT AFFECTING
CONSIDERATIONS OF BRITISH INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL POLICY THE
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SHOULD DETERMINE THE COURSE OF, AND WHERE PRACTICABLE BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONDUCT OF, HONG KONG'S EXTERNAL COMMERCIAL RELATIONS.
3. WHERE CONSIDERATIONS OF BRITISH INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL
POLICY ARE INVOLVED THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT MAY, AS APPROPRIATE AID IN FULL CONSULTATION AND ASSOCIATION WITH HMG, EXERCISE
A SIMILAR RESPONSIBILITY, ACTING WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF POLICIES
AGREED WITH HMG AND IN CONFORMITY WITH TREATY OBLIGATIONS.
SO FAR AS NON-COTTON TEXTILES ARE CONCERNED, HMG RECOGNISE THAT, WITH THEIR AGREEMENT, THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING A POLICY, WHEN A SITUATION HAS ARISEN SUCH AS ONE IN WHICH
ARTICLE XIX OF THE GATT MIGHT OTHERWISE HAVE BEEN INVOKED, OF
AGREEING TO EXPORT RESTRAINT ON NON-COTTON TEXTILES WHERE IT
SEEMED IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF HONG KONG TO DO SO.
5. IN THE LIGHT OF RECENT INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SPHERE OF TEXTILES, HMG ARE AT PRESENT URGENTLY REVIEWING THEIR POLICY AS IT AFFECTS BOTH THE U.K. AND HONG KONG, AND IN DOING SO THEY WILL TAKE FULL ACCOUNT OF THE REPRESENTATIONS RECENTLY MADE TO THEM BY THE GOVERNMENT OF HONGKONG. THEY WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SO FAR AS THE
RESTRICTED
INTERESTS
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