TNAG-0238-FCO40-274-Trade-relations-between-EEC-and-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 118

CONFIDENTIAL

CYPHER/CAT A

PRIORITY BRUSSELS

TO

HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 4%

15 OCTOBER 1978

CONFIDENTIAL

1514407

ADDRESSED TO GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELNO. 43 OF 15 OCTOBER 1970 REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO UK MISSION GENEVA (FOR JONES)

AND MEMEX SAVING TO HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

ENLARGEMENT NEGOTIATIONS

FOLLOWING YESTERDAY'S MEETING OF DEPUTIES SIR CON O'NEILL

TODAY BRIEFED COMMONWEALTH REPRESENTATIVES HERE.

2.

WITH REGARD TO THE ASSOCIATION OF DEPENDENT TERRITORIES

ITEM ON THE DEPUTIES AGENDA HE STATED THAT SACHS HAD NOW

EXPRESSED QUALIFIED AGREEMENT TO HMG'S PROPOSALS. AGREEMENT WAS

IN PRINCIPLE ONLY, AND WITH A SPECIFIC RESERVATION IN THE CASE

OF HONG KONG, WHERE THE COMMUNITY HAD DOUBTS ABOUT THE APPROPRIATE-

NESS OF THE PROPOSED PROCEDURE. THIS WOULD HAVE TO BE EXAMINED

MORE CLOSELY.

3.

SIR CON O'NEILL HAD RESPONDED THAT HE WAS SORRY TO HEAR :

OF THE RESERVATION IN RESPECT OF HONG KONG, AND THAT THE COMMUNITY

WAS NOT ABLE TO ACCEDE FULLY TO HMG'S REQUEST. HMG WAS BOUND TO

MAINTAIN THAT HONG KONG AS A DEPENDENCY, SHOULD BE TREATED NO

LESS FAVOURABLY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE POTENTIAL ENLARGEMENT OF

THE COMMUNITY THAN DEPENDENCIES OF THE EXISTING MEMBER STATES,

}

AKK 6/6

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