TNAG-0299-FCO40-335-Entitlement-of-Hong-Kong-to-generalized-tariffs-preferences--1971 — Page 41

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

CONFIDEALLAL-

restrictions which the Japanese Government would fe

Mr Aichi was not aware

it necessary to maintain.

of these plans and presumed that they had been made

since his departure from Japan. The delegation.

would however be welcomed. He thought that their

visit would provide an admirable opportunity for

Japan to explain the timetable which it had in mind.

The first stage of their scheme would be introduod

on 1 August. The second stage, relating to Hong K

and other dependent territories, would come later.

There would have to remain a few restrictions. Mr

Bottomley enquired whether the second stage would

definitely include the grant of preferences to Ilon,

Kong. Mr Aichi. confirmed that the Japanese Gover

policy definitely was to apply preferences to Hong

Kong. Sir Alec Douglas-Home thanked Mr Aichi for

this statement and confirmed, in anser to a questi

from Mr Aichi, that the United Kingdom intended to

grant generalised preferences to the dependencies

of other countries.

i

Avil Aviation

Mr Aichi stated that the Government of Japan

.attached importance to the revision of the 1952

Agreement over which consultations were due to be he

in September. Sir Alec Douglas-Home said that we

should welcome these consultations and hoped that

would result in a properly balanced agreement.

Imperial Visit

Mr Aichi said how pleased the Emperor and Emp

were to have been invited to visit Britain. The

CONFIDENTIAL

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