TNAG-0281-FCO40-317-Visit-of-the-Chancellor-of-the-Duchy-of-Lancaster-to-Hong-Ko-1970 — Page 135

NOTHING TO BE Written in THIS MARGIN

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DRAFT BRIEF

Talking Points

CONFIDENTI AL

2.

Hong Kong and the EBC

Delighted to be here.

Our ties are exceptionally close. The

purpose of my visit is to assure myself that

I fully understand your problems and your

aspirations in the context of our application ·

for membership of the 33C. I have not come to

negotiate, nor to make promises. I know that

-

you have always had a clear understanding of

the difficulties that our membership of the EEC

difficulties that our senisnship might bring

and, I trust, the very great opportunities also.

at What I want is to hear from you your

views on what would be the likely difficulties

facing your phenomenal economy, and how you

3.

think those difficulties might be met or

mitigated.

Association

4.

There seems to be very little likelihood

of the Six agreeing to associated status for

Hong Kong. In the 1961-3 negotiations, as you

know, they considered association to be

inappropriate for you; and we have no evidence

that they have changed or are likely to change

their minds on this.

C.R.T.

5. This means that, unless specific provisions

can be made, Britain would have to apply the

CET in full to your exports at the end of

whatever transitional period we can ourselves

secure. Of course, for man-made fibre goods

you and other Commonwealth exporters already

/face

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