TNAG-0243-FCO40-279-Conduct-of-Hong-Kong-commercial-relations-1973 — Page 117

CYPHER CAT A

CONFIDENTIAL

PFICE

PRIORITY UK MISSION GENEVA TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

12 AUGUST 1970.

(6)

TELEGRAM NUMBER 616

CONFIDENTIAL [NEUTRAL]

MIK

REF

(6x) 70)

бо

ADDRESSED TO FCO TEL NO 616 OF 12 AUGUST REPTD FOR INFMN TO

GOVERNOR HONG KONG AND WASHINGTON.

YOUR TELS. NOS. 514 AND 515 TO HONG KONG.

TEXTILES.

163) (66)

"Y.

14KK 6/18

SO LONG AS HONG KONG IS REPRESENTED IN GATT BY OR AS PART OF

THE UK DELEGATION IT HAS SEEMED TO ME TO BE IMPORTANT TO AVOID ALL EXPRESSION OF CONFLICTING VIEWS. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS APART, THE DELEGATION'S GENERAL POSITION WOULD BE WEAKENED IF OTHER DELEGATIONS

SAW THAT EXPLOITABLE DIFFERENCES EXISTED. IN MY LETTER OF 24 APRIL TO SIR L. MONSON 1 THEREFORE WELCOMED A FORM OF WORDS WHICH MADE IT

PLAIN THAT IN NO CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD CONFLICTING STATEMENTS BE MADE

IN THE GATT REFLECTING DIFFERING UK AND HONG KONG VIEWS. MY STRONG

PREFERENCE IS TO CONTINUE THE PRACTICE OF THE LAST FEW YEARS BY WHICH IN THE COTTON TEXTILES COMMITTEE, AS IN OTHER GATT BODIES, WE HAVE AVOIDED THE EXPRESSION OF DISCORDANT VIEWS AND HAVE ARRANGED MATTERS SO THAT, WHEN DELEGATIONS HAVE INCLUDED BOTH UK AND HK REPRESENTATIVES, POLICY STATEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE BY THE UK

SPOKESMEN AND HONG KONG REPRESENTATIVES HAVE PUT FORWARD HONG

KONG'S DETAILED VIEWS WITHIN HMG'S OVERALL POLICY. TO ENSURE THAT THIS PRACTICE IS MAINTAINED, I HOPE THAT QUOTE USUALLY UNQUOTE WILL BE OMITTED FROM THE LAST SENTENCE OF PARAGRAPH 5 OF THE DRAFT DESPATCH OR REPLACED WITH QUOTE IN PRACTICE UNQUOTE.

2.

辱

IN THE CASE OF NON-COTTON TEXTILES, HOWEVER, IT MAY BE THAT IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO EVOLVE A COMPLETE IDENTITY OF VIEWS

BETWEEN THE UK AND HONG KONG E.G. IN THE PROPOSED WORKING PARTY ON TEXTILES. IN THAT CASE, RATHER THAN ALLOW A CONFLICT OF VIEWS TO ARISE WITHIN THE UK DELEGATION, A BETTER SOLUTION MIGHT BE TO SEEK SEPARATE HONG KONG REPRESENTATION IN THE COTTON TEXTILES. COMMITTEE AND (UNDERLINE NEXT TWO WORDS) MUTATIS MUTANDIS IN THE NEW WORKING PARTY. THE GATT SECRETARIAT HAVE NOT BEEN CONSULTED

BUT I THINK SUCH AN ARRANGEMENT WOULD NOT BE OPPOSED, ESPECIALLY IF PROPOSED AT THE SAME TIME AS WE COMMUNICATE TO GATT AN

EXPLANATION OF THE MODIFICATION OF POLICY SET OUT IN THE DESPATCH.

CONFIDENTIAL

13.