TNAG-0299-FCO40-335-Entitlement-of-Hong-Kong-to-generalized-tariffs-preferences--1971 — Page 179

CONFIDENTIAL

Mr Burns (Trade Policy Department)

GENERALISED PREFERENCES: JAPAN/HONG KONG

138

137

1.

Your minute to me of 6 May.

2.

I would like to suggest the following amendments to your draft

(a) Paragraph 3(a). Delete "very" and substitute "most seriously". The Japanese really have no grounds at all for excluding Hong Kong from their scheme.

(b) Paragraph 4. As you know, we have more than ones had reports from Tokyo that there were many people in Japan who would be more than glad to see Hong Kong excluded from the American scheme and who argued that exclusion of Hong Kong from the Japanese scheme would help to achieve this desired result. I am inclined to think therefore that it would be better to omit this paragraph eltogether.

(c) Taragraph 5. I would prefer to leave it entirely to Hong Kong to Chcide on the value to the Colony of purely "proforma" inclusion by Japon. I suggest therefore that the paragraph Light run as follows – "he assumo Governor Hong Kong will comment in particular on the value to Hong Long of purely

'proforma" inclusion by Japan. He will also no coubt say how strongly HIG` feel the long standing proposal for visit of their resentatives to

Pessed.'

Tokyo should i-

7 May 1971

CC Mr Crowson (FD)

© Laird

Hong Kong Department

CONFIDENTIAL