TNAG-0342-FCO40-378-Effects-on-Hong-Kong-of-long-term-policy-for-textiles-in-int-1972 — Page 106

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same as in GATT (ie an EEC spokesman flanked by nation-

al representatives). Option (iv) ih paragraph 8

would appear to be the most satisfactory solution in

the CTC context also. In view of Hong Kong's position

in the CTC (it is accepted that Hong Kong may speak

for itself in the Committee and may on occasion differ

from the United Kingdom - Membership of the Committee

does not depend on status in GATT), it seems that there

is even less likelihood of objections to a "United

Kingdom (Hong Kong)" flag in the CTC than in the GATT

proper.

Whatever solution is found in the GATT context

is likely to be carried over into the CTC.

Likely EEC Attitudes

11

Our delegation in Brussels think that the

Community would prefer Hong Kong to enjoy a de

facto independent status in the GATT so that it is

quite clear that it is Hong Kong with which they are

dealing. They would wish to make a clear distinction

between the United Kingdom and Hong Kong even if for

GATT legal reasons some purely formal UK label had

still to be given to the Hong Kong representative.

Great care was taken during the enlargement negotiations

to ensure that no part of the EEC or EURATOM Treaties or

of the Treaty of Accession itself applied to Hong Kong

(this principle is reflected in Article 26(2) and

Article 27 of the Act of Accession). Anything

which blurs the intention that the Common External

Tariff and the Common Commercial Policy (subject to

the provisions of the Community's Generalised

Preference Scheme) should be applied to Hong Kong as

a third/..