TNAG-0300-FCO40-336-Entitlement-of-Hong-Kong-to-generalized-tariffs-preferences--1971 — Page 185

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FA TOKYO 0606452

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY 0608302

TO IMEDIATE FCO TELNO 500 OF 6 JULY INFO HONG KONG WASHI GTON

UKDEL BEC AND UKM13 GENEVA.

YOUR TELNO 35 AND 1363.

FOLLOVI G IS TEXT OF MY TELNO 497 OF 2 JULY

CONFIDENTIAL.

M. Percival

How mysterious

1

but we now have all the info we require.

TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 497 OF 2 JULY INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG WASHINGTON UKDEL EEG AND UKMIS GENEVA.

YOUR TELEGRAM MUNDER 358: GENERALISED PREFERENCES.

THE JIJI PRESS ITEM IS MISLEADING. THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN

AFFAIRS CONFIRM THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY REMAINS AS OUTLINED

JURE!

IN THE COMMUNIQUE OF 11 JUNE THEY SAY THAT THE CABINET IS DUE TO

DISCUSS GENERALISED PREFERENCES ON 9 JULY (NOT 2 JULY AS JIJI PRESS REPORT), BUT ARE UNLIKELY TO DEVOTE MUCH TIME TO THE QUESTION OF SECOND STAGE RECIPIENTS. HOWEVER, THE MINISTRY ACCEPT THE NEED FOR CONSISTENCY OF WORDING WITH THE EARLIER COMMUNIQUE, IF ANY OFFICIAL STATEMENT CONCERNING HONG KONG IS ISSUED AFTER THE

MEETING.

2. THE MINISTRY SAY THAT A DECISION ON TIMING FOR SECOND STAGE RECIPIENTS, INCLUDING HONG KONG, IS LIKELY NEXT JANUARY, AND THEY

HOPE THAT IT WILL LEAD TO THEIR INCLUSION IN THE SCHEME AS FROM

NEXT APRIL..