TNAG-0299-FCO40-335-Entitlement-of-Hong-Kong-to-generalized-tariffs-preferences--1971 — Page 93

IMMEDIATE

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RECOVED IN

REGISTRY No:51

16 JUN 1971

166

CYPHER CAT A

FK TOKYO 0106402

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"[NSUTRAL]··

TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 421 OF 1 JUNE INFO IHMEDTA

ROUTINE WASHINGTON.

Fi6})

HONG KONG AND

LAST

REF.

163

MY TELNO 412: GENERALISED PREFERENCES AND HONGKONG

NEXT

REF.

(76)

OLTAKA, HEAD OF THE SECOND INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION DIVISION OF THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, TOLD US TODAY THE RESULTS OF THE DIRECTORS-GENERAL'S MEETING REPORTED IN PARA 3 OF MY TEL UNDED REFERENCE. HE SAID THAT THE MEMBERS AGREED THAT THE PREFERENTIAL TARIFF SCHEME SHOULD START ON 1 ALGUST. IT SHOULD APPLY TO ALL THE UNCTAD MEMPER COUNTRIES EXCEPT THOSE DISCRIMINATING AGAINST IMPORTS FROM JAPAN. IN ADDITION, SOME 20 OTHER COUNTRIES SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE PREFERENTIAL TARIFF LIST PROVIDED THEY ABCLISHED

DISCRIMINATION AGAINST JAPAN WITHIN THE NEXT THREE YEARS.

2. AS REGARDS DEPENDENT TERRITORIES SUCH AS HONGKONG THE MEETING HAD AGREED THAT THE SITUATION SHOULD BE REVIEWED BEFORE THE NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR BEGINNING IN APRIL 1972. THE POSITION OF SPAIN, PORTUGAL, BULGARIA ABD PUMANIA SHOULD ALSO BE REVIEWED

AT THAT TIME. ON HONG KONG, OHTAKA WOULD GO NO FURTHER THAN TO SAY THAT NONE OF THE MINISTRIES PULED OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A FAVOURABLE DECISION NEXT YEAR.

3.

OHTAKE SAID THAT THE OFFICIALS' DECISIONS WOULD PROBABLY

BF PUT BEFORE THE CAPINET AROUND 22 JUNE. THE JAPANESE DELEGATION

TO THE FORTHCOMING CECD MEETING IN PARIS WOULD GIVE AN OUTLINE OF PRESENT THINKING, ALTHOUGH THEY WOULD NOT SE ABLE TO GO INTO

DETAIL.

}.

CHTAKA ALSO SAID THAT IT WAS UNLIKELY THAT WE WOULD GET A

FORMAL PEPLY TO THE PRIME MINISTER'S PESSAGE TO MR. SATO BEFORE THE

CASINET MEETING REFERRED TO ASCVF. MEANWHILE HE SAID THAT THERE

YOULD TE NC OFJECTION TO A VISIT BY OFFICIALS OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNEMENT TO DISCUSS CUTSTANDING PROBLEMS. HE THOUGHT IT UNLIKELY

THAT MUCH PROGRESS COULD PE MADE AT THIS STAGE, BUT THE JAPANESE

KERE READY TO HOLD DISCUSSIONS. HE DID NOT THINK THEY NEED LAST

LONG.

15. GRATEFUL

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