accepted recommendation was that these countries "can be admitted to participation as full contracting parties to the GATT". The UK who naturally took an active part in these discussions certainly considered that this meant precisely what it says without qualification as she drew up a list of items on which she was going to request Rhodesia to give her GATT bindings (In the event because of changed trade circumstances these were not pursued). The exchange of tariff bindings is one of the basic elements in the rights and obligations exchanged between GATT contracting parties.
8. If Hong Kong is given sufficient autonomy to satisfy the points set out in
the paper attached, I see no reason why she should not be 'deemed' a GATT contracting party on the same basis as the other territories back in 1947.
9. I am afraid this is a very long letter, but it seems worth setting out the position in detail. I am copying it to John Hagestadt in CRE 3 here, and to
Mr Burns in TPD.
You
(Miss J E Elliott
Dunc
ncerely
Jeen Joan RlLif
cc J Hagestadt Esq, CRE 3
KFX Burns Esq, FCO (TPD)
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