TNAG-0298-FCO40-334-Entitlement-of-Hong-Kong-to-generalized-tariffs-preferences--1971 — Page 163

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4. I HAD RAISED THE QUESTION OF OTHER COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES WHICH

WE STILL NEEDED TO DISCUSS IN THE CONFERENCE, PARTICULARLY THE

DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IN THE CARIBBEAN AND INDIAN AND PACIFIC

OCEANS OF A SIMILAR ECONOMIC STRUCTURE AND PRODUCTION TO THE

PRESENT ASSOCIATES OF THE COMMUNITY,

5. 1 HAD ALSO REFERRED TO THE TERRITORY OF PAPUA AND NEW

GUINEA. THE SITUATION HERE WAS UNIQUE BECAUSE WHILE PAPUA IS A

DEPENDENCY OF AUSTRALIA, NEW GUINEA IS IN A SPECIAL POSITION AS

A UNITED NATIONS TRUST TERRITORY ADMINISTERED BY AUSTRALIA,

BECAUSE OF ITS CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION IT COULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE ENLARGED COMMUNITY, IT HAD TO BE RECOGNISED THAT ENLARGEMENT OF THE COMMUNITY WOULD CAUSE CERTAIN PROBLEMS FOR THE TERRITORY

WHICH AT PRESENT SENDS ONE THIRD OF ITS EXPORTS TO THE UNITED

KINGDON, I HAD ASKED THAT THE ENLARGED COMMUNITY AS FURTHER PROOF

OF ITS OUTWARD -LOOKING NATURE AND WILLINGNESS TO HELP THE LESS

DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, WOULD ADOPT THE SAME LIBERAL POLICY AS REGARDS THE TROPICAL PRODUCTS EXPORTED BY THE DEVELOPING

COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES SUCH AS PAPUA AND NEW GUINEA,

M. SCHUMANN IN TAKING NOTE OF MY STATEMENT ASKED FOR DOCUMENTATION

ON PAPUA AND NEW GUINEA SO THAT FURTHER STUDIES COULD BE PUT IN HAND.

BOTSWANA, LESOTHO AND SWAZILAND

6. M. SCHUMANN HAD REFERRED TO THE STATEMENT MADE AT THE LAST

MEETING OF DEPUTIES INDICATING THE COMMUNITY'S WILLINGNESS TO

OFFER THESE THREE COUNTRIES THE ALTERNATIVES IN THE 1963 DECLARATION OF INTENT. WE HAD WELCOMED THIS STATEMENT AND

CONFIRMED THE WISH OF HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT THAT THE ALTERNATIVES

OF THE 1963 DECLARATION SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO THESE COUNTRIES.

I HAD ALSO CONFIRMED OUR AGREEMENT THAT PENDING THE ENTRY IHTO

FORCE OF THE AGREEMENT WHICH WOULD SUCCEED THE PRESENT YAOUNDE

CONVENTION THE STATUS QUO IN PRESENT RELATIONS BETWEEN THE

UNITED KINGDOM AND THESE THREE COUNTRIES WOULD BE MAINTAINED.

THE PARTICULAR PROBLEMS ARISING FROM THE POSITION OF THESE

COUNTRIES WOULD NEED TO BE FURTHER DISCUSSED AND THIS WOULD

BE DONE WHEN THE DETAILS OF WHATEVER FORM OF AGREEMENT THESE

COUNTRIES CHOSE TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE ENLARGED COMMUNITY, WERE

KNOWN.

HONG KONG

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́/7. I SAID