TNAG-0298-FCO40-334-Entitlement-of-Hong-Kong-to-generalized-tariffs-preferences--1971 — Page 34

countries in the list at Annex A which are not dependent

territories, i.e. the Associated States of the Caribbean

and Brunei; and Qatar, Bahrain and the Trucial States. The Governments of the countries referred to in the previous

sentence are fully responsible for the conduct of their own financial and customs policies. In the case of the Associated States, IIMG's responsibility is limited by Section 2 of the West Indies Act 1967 to matters relating to defence, external affairs, nationality and citizenship and to certain Royal matters. The State of Brunci is a sovereign state in treaty relationship with Britain. an Agreement made in 1959 between HM The Queen and the Sultan of Brunei, HMG are responsible for the State's external affairs and defence. In all other matters, supreme authority rests with the Sultan. As regards Bahrain, Qatar and the Trucial States, these are independent sovereign states in special treaty relationship with the United Kingdom. The latter is responsible only for the conduct of their external relations.

Under

4. With reference to the United Kingdom's dependent territories, HMG consider that these are fully entitled to admission as beneficiaries under the Generalised Preference Scheme on the following grounds:

-X. (a)

They include some of the least developed areas in the world

(b) Trade discrimination against them would be unjust

when their dependent status does not as such bring them any trading advantage over their independent

neighbours and competitors. It is of course true

that they enjoy the benefits of Commonwealth preference, but in this their position is no different from that of independent developing

Commonwealth countries (whose right to benefit from the GPS is not in question).

/(c)