TNAG-0299-FCO40-335-Entitlement-of-Hong-Kong-to-generalized-tariffs-preferences--1971 — Page 45

IMMEDIATE

CYPHER CAT A

FM FCO 141815Z

CONFIDENTIAL:

✓

CONFIDENTIAL

LABT

RECOVED IN

REGISTRY No.51

REF.

NBK)

16 JUN 1971

REF.

१०)

189

NEUTRAL

AKK 6/1

TO IMMEDIATE COVERNOR HONG KONG TELNO. 439 OF 14 JUNE INFO IMMEDIATE TOKYO AND ROUTINE WASHINGTON UKDEL EEC UKMIS' GENEVA.

YOUR TELNO. 401 AND TOKYO TELNO. 451: PREFERENCES: JAPAN.

D

AT OFFICIAL LEVEL TALKS LAST WEEK, OUR SIDE PRESSED THE JAPANESE ONCE MORE ON INCLUSION OF HONG KONG IN GENERALISED PREFERENCE SCHEME. THE PRIME MINISTER RAISED THE MATTER WITH AICHI, AND SO DID THE SECRETARY OF STATE. AICHI SAID THAT HONG KONG WOULD DEFINITELY BE INCLUDED IN THE JAPANESE GPS, BUT NOT, REPEAT NOT, IN THE FIRST STAGE OF IMPLEMENTATION (IE ON 1 AUGUST 1971). THE INTERPRETATION IN YOUR PARA. 2 DOES NOT THEREFORE STAND. THE INCLUSION WOULD BE SUBJECT TO SOME RESTRICTIONS. THE OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE, WHICH YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED DURING THE WEEKEND, COVERS THIS POINT AS FOLLOWS:-

''ON THE QUESTION OF GENERALISED PREFERENCES, MR AICHI STATED THAT IT WAS THE INTENTION OF THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT TO INCLUDE HONG KONG

IN THE SCHEME SUBJECT TO CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS AND SOME DELAY IN ́. APPLICATION "'.

2. BOTTOMLEY SUBSEQUENTLY EMPHASISED TO HIRAHARA THE IMPORTANCE OF A

WORTHWHILE OFFER TO HONG KONG. NOW THAT THE JAPANESE HAVE PUBLICLY

ACCEPTED THE INCLUSION OF HONG KONG, WE HOPE THAT THE MEETING IN TOKYO ON 16 JUNE CAN BE DIRECTED TO SECURING A MINIMUM OF

JAPANESE RESTRICTIONS ON THEIR OFFER. AICHI WAS NOT AWARE THAT THIS MEETING HAD BEEN ARRANGED UNTIL INFORMED BY US IN THE COURSE OF HIS MEETING WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE. WE UNDERSTAND THAT HE LATER REFERRED TO THE FACT IN HIS PRESS CONFERENCE. WE HAVE ASKED FOR A TRANSCRIPT OF THIS AND WILL SEND IT TO YOU BY BAG.

13. IN

CONFIDENTIAL

Page 45Page 46