TNAG-0341-FCO40-377-Effects-on-Hong-Kong-of-long-term-policy-for-textiles-in-int-1972 — Page 112

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NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

Registry

DRAFT

MINUTE

No.

HKK 6/8

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

To:-

Top Secret.

Mr AR Rushford Legal Adviser

Secret.

Confidential.

Restricted. Unclassified.

PRIVACY MARKING

In Confidence

A

Britain would

itrance be in GATT

relationsling with

H.K. or

Britain's

would now. GATT

with

relationship

ها العلمية الله مناعما

the other hive/

mambers?

Type 1 +

From

E O Laird

Telephone No. & Ext.

$

Department

HONG KONG'S GATT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE EEC

1. When he was in London in April Mr Haddon-Cave, financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Government), raised

the question of Hong Kong's GATT relationship with

the EEC following British entry.

2. At present Hong Kong enjoys a GATT relationship

with the six members and the other applicant members

of the EEC but in view of the constitutional link

(Presumably, how whaps you would confirm,

hip with the UK. Will British

will not affect this?

w

has no such relationship with the UK.

membership of the enlarged EEC/mean that Britain will

henceforward be in GATT relationship with Hong Kong

or will Britain's non-GATT relationship with her be

extended to the other nine members?

3.

attacha

I attach a copy of the record of the preliminary

and informal meeting held here on this subject on

(wither

27 April. In short two questions arese on which I shall be grateful for your views. These are;

a)

members high of the

હ.

HA How would How weld the United Kingdom excession

d/the

affect Hong Kong's legal position under the

GATT

the U.K and

vis-à-vis the other nine EEC members,

were the AEC Tself to become the

whilst the latter remain contracting partie on behalf of the 10 members? Would this mean vetera

b)

If it is politically practicable for

Hong Kong to be granted full autonomy in the

conduct of her external relations would there

be any legal difficulties in her exceeding to

/the GATT

Dd. 896639 1,000M 8/71 St.S.