TNAG-0239-FCO40-275-Entitlement-of-Hong-Kong-to-generalised-tariffs-preferences--1970 — Page 31

YPHER CAT/A

PRIORITY WASHINGTON

TELEGRAM NO. 3122

CONFIDENTIAL 2221007

NEUTRAL

CONFIDENTIAL

て

(281)

TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

22 OCTOBER, 1976,

280)

295

ADDRESSED TO F.C.0. TEL. 00. 3120 OF 28/19 REPEATED FOR INFORMATION

TO TOKYO, HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA, AND UKDEL DRUSSELS.

YOUR TELEGRAM 2303 TO ME AND TOKYO TELEGRAM 773 Q YOU:

GENERALIZED PREFERENCES.

280

√(279)

CRONK REPEATED TO US TODAY THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO REPEAT NO U.S.

DECISION TO EXCLUDE HONG KONG, THOUGH THE OUTLOOK TENDED TO BE

NEGATIVE. THE FINAL U.S. DECISION WOULD BE STRONGLY INFLUENCED BY

THAT OF JAPAN AND THE E,C.

C.

2. BARGER (DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR ASIAN AND PACIFIC

AFFAIRS) WHO IS FIRMLY ON HONG KOwOn'6 SIDE HAS SUGGESTED ON A PERSONAL

BASIS THAT IT WOULD BE USEFUL IF WE RENEWED OUR REPRESENTATIONS,

THIS TIME CONCENTRATING THEM ON THE BUREAU OF EUROPEAN AFFAIRS IN

THE STATE DEPARTMENT, TO EMPHASIZE THE U.K. CONCERN IN THE MATTER,

WE WILL DO THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, USING THE MATERIAL WHICH WE

HAVE,

3. BARCER ALSO MADE ANOTHER PERSONAL SUGGESTION, THAT THE U.K. OR

HONG KONG PUT FORWARD A COMPROMISE PROPOSAL THAT HONG KONG BE GIVEN

PREFERENCE ONLY UP TO THE LEVEL OF EXISTING TRADE. HE IS FOR SOME

REASON UNWILLING TO PROMOTE THE IDEA HIMSELF, OR FEELS THAT IT WOULD

GET MORE ATTENTION IF COMING FROM OUTSIDE. SEEN FROM HERE IT HAS

∙SOME MERIT, FROM HONG KONGR'S VIEWPOINT AS BEING BETTER THAN TOTAL

EXCLUSION OR EXCLUSION ON SOME PRODUCTS, AND FROM THE U.S. VIEWPOINT

AS GIVING LITTLE AWAY. WE HOPE YOU AND HONG KONG WILL CONSIDER THIS PROPOSAL RATHER URGENTLY, AND, IF YOU APPROVE OF IT, LET US KNOW

WHETHER WE SHOULD FLOAT IT HERE OR WHETHER YOU PREFER TO KEEP IT IN

RESERVE FOR THE O.E.C.D. TRADE COMMITTEE MEETING ON 30 NOVEMBER.

FCO PASS FOR INFORMATION TO HONG KONG, UKNIS GENEVA TOKYO AND UKDEL BRUSSELS

MR FREEMAN.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE DISTRIBUTION

TRADE POLICY D.

H.K.D.

AMERICAN D.

2

[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]

ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION

HONG KONG INT. TRADE

HKKG / N

CONFIDENTIAL