TNAG-0249-FCO40-285-Effect-of-entry-of-UK-into-EEC-on-exports-from-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 117

COLONITIAL

ૐ

-2-

Board of Trade were represented t those talks, and the record of them is no doubt available to you. The following Lencral conclusions were reached.

(a the Hong Kon Government, according to their officials, had decided not to rsk Britain to make any specific demands to the Six on dong Kong's behalf. This means that association

or a Morocco rotocol-type solution were con- sidered inappropriate;

(b) a request for special treatment for Long Kong

by the enlarged" Communities was thought likely to encourage the Six to seck protection from Kong Yong competition in various ways 8.E. by the adoption of a stringent market disruption clause and/or severe origin criteria;

(c) it was agreed that the gradual application to

ong Kong of the C..T. over as long a transi- tional period as could be negotiated would be as much as che could expect In this sphore;

(d) it was hoped that Her Majesty's Covernment

would make a unilateral declaration, probably in Parliament, of her continuing responsibility towards her dépendent territories;

(c) it was also agreed that Britain should continue

to press for the retention of Yong Kong among the beneficiaries of the UCT. D schere, parti- cularly for the development and sale of new products especially footwear and cutlery;

(1) on Hong Kong immiration into the .. it was

thought that the position after Britain's 5.1.C. entry would rerain much the same as at present. (Of course at that time the F.F.C.'s 18-day priority for nationals rule governing the labour markets had not yet been introduced);

bour

(g) there was considerable discussion of Hong Kong's rights under GATT. It was considered that they would be un.flected by British entry into the

.C. If the six abandoned separate rational membership of GATT and the Community became a single Contracting arty a different situation would arise, but this was unlikely to occur