TNAG-0300-FCO40-336-Entitlement-of-Hong-Kong-to-generalized-tariffs-preferences--1971 — Page 23

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FM CODEL BRUSSELS Ø82948Z

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TO IMMEDIATE F C O TELNO. CODEL 956 CF 08 NOVEMBER INFO IMMEDIATE

TO HONG KONG PRIORITY TO UKMIS GENEVA SAVING TO BRUSSELS (FOR

DC DGE)

MY TELEGRAM NO. CODEL 941

GENERALISED PREFERENCE SCHEME: HONG KONG

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THE COMMISSION DESK OFFICER WHO DEALS WITH THE GENERALISED PREFERENCE SCHEME TELEPHONED A MEMBER OF THE DELEGATION ON 28 NOVEMBER TO SAY THAT THE COMMISSION STILL HAD NO REPLY FROM HONG KONG. HE WAS NOW CONTACTING THIS DELEGATION INFORMALLY TO WARN US THAT THE ITEMS ABOUT WHICH HE HAD SPOKEN TO DODGE EARLIER WOULD BE DEFINITELY EXCLUDED FROM THE COMMUNITY SCHEME AS FAR AS HONG KONG WAS CONCERNED WITHIN A MATTER OF 8 DAYS+. TRAN SAID

THAT HE HAD BEEN TRYING TO GET HOLD OF DODGE TO GIVE HIM THIS INFORMATION OFFICIALLY, IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY RESPONSE FROM HONG KONG TO THE PREVIOUS APPROACH, BUT HE HAD NOT SO FAR BEEN ABLE TO CONTACT DODGE. WHEN HE WAS IN CONTACT WITH DODGE HE WOULD CONVEY THIS INFORMATION OFFICIALLY.

2. WE TOLD TRAN THAT IT WAS CERTAINLY CORRECT FOR HIM AT THIS STAGE TC CONVEY THIS INFORMATION TO DODGE. BUT WE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO DRAW TRAN'S ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT THE AGREEMENT IN THE

CONFERENCE ON HONG KONG AND IN PARTICULAR THE COMMUNITY'S STATEMENT ON WHICH THIS AGREEMENT WAS BASED DID NOT MAKE ANY REFERENCE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF THE COMMUNITY MOVING ITEMS FROM THE SENSITVE, SEMI-SENSITIVE OR NON-SENSITIVE LISTS TO TOTAL EXCLUSION BUT MERELY REFERRED TO POSSIBLE MOVEMENTS AT THE TIME OF ANNUAL REVIEWS OF ITEMS BETWEEN ONE AND THE OTHER LIST. THE COMMUNITY SHOULD THEREFORE BE AWARE OF THE FACT THAT, IN ENVISAGING ANY EXCLUSION, THEY APPEARED TO BE GOING BEYOND THE TERMS OF AN AGREEMENT REACHED IN THE ENLARGEMENT CONFERENCE.

PALLISER

EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL DISTRIBUTION

HONG KONG DEPT

E.I.D. (1), RECEIVED IN

REGISTRY No. 51

- 8 NOV 1971

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CONFIDENTIAL

ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION FRAME

COPIES TO

HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE 54 PALL MALL