TNAG-0239-FCO40-275-Entitlement-of-Hong-Kong-to-generalised-tariffs-preferences--1970 — Page 32

CYPHER/CAT A

CONFIDENTIAL

MEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

CLEGRAM NO 2383

TO WASHINGTON

21 OCTOBER

(MT)

280

CONFIDENTIAL 211645Z

278

NEUTRAL

HCL6/12

281

ADDRESSED TO WASHINGTON TELEGRAM NO 2383 OF 21 0CTOBER RFI HONG KONG, TOKYO, UKDEL BRUSSELS AND UKMIS GENEVA.

269

YOUR TEL NO 77 TO HONG KONG : GENERALISED PREFERENCES.

278)

WE AGREE WITH HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO 55 TO YOU.

2. OUR DELEGATION TO THE LAST UNCTAD PREFERENCES COMMITTEE WERE TOLD BY THE US REPRESENTATIVE, CRONK, THAT THE INTER-DEPARTMENTAL SUBMISSION TO THE WHITE HOUSE ON OUTSTANDING, 15SUES INCLUDING THE

ELIGIBILITY OF HONG KONG (YOUR TEL 2575), HS STILL NOT BEEN

DECIDED. OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE DECISION MAY BE POSTPONED UNTIL AFTER THE NEXT SESSION OF THE OECD TRADE COMMITTEE ON 36 NOVEMBER WHEN THE WHOLE QUESTION OF BENEFICIARIES WILL HAVE TO BE FULLY DISCUSSED. (YOU MIGHT ENQUIRE WHETHER THIS IS STILL HOW MATTERS STAND). THE US DECISION IS LIKELY TO DEPEND TO

A CONSIDERABLE EXTENT ON WHETHER THE EEC DECIDE TO INCLUDE HONG KONG IN THEIR SCHEME. OUR POSITION IS STILL TO CONTINUE TO PRESS FOR HONG KONG S INCLUSION ON AN EQUAL BASIS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES AT A COMPARABLE STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT AND WE WOULD PREFER ANY PROPOSALS INVOLVING DISCRIMINATORY TREATMENT TO COME FROM THE OTHER DONORS, AS SUGGESTED IN OUR TEL NO 733 TO TOKYO

DOUGLAS-HOME

(227

INTERNATIONAL TRADE DISTRIBUTION:

T.P.D.

H.K.D.

AMERICAN DEPA

Qc £ c le c

ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION:

H.K. INT. TRADE

CONFIDENTIAL