TNAG-0342-FCO40-378-Effects-on-Hong-Kong-of-long-term-policy-for-textiles-in-int-1972 — Page 18

CYPHER/CAT A

MUKMIS GENEVA 231045Z

CONFIDENTIAL

[NEUTRAL]

CONFIDENTIAL

TO ROUTINE HONG KONG TEL NO 30

OF 23

RECEIVED IN

REGISTRY No.51 20 NOV 1972

DKK68

NOVEMBER 1972.

INFO F C C, U K DEL BRUSSELS, BRUSSELS (FOR DODGE)

112

FROM PEARSON

LAST

REF.

Goa)

C

RLI.

YOUR TEL NO 1074 TO F C 0.

HONG KONG AND G A T T AFTER 1 JANUARY, 1973.

1. U K DEL BRUSSELS HAVE ADVISED THAT MEETING OF E E C GATT

COMMITTEE IS LIKELY TO BE DEFERRED FROM 37 NOVEMBER TO

PROBABLY 14 DECEMBER.

2. IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO CLEAR DRAFT

OF PROPOSED LETTER EARLIER BY WRITING TO OTHER E E C DELEGATIONS

IN BRUSSELS OR IN GENEVA BUT CLEARLY THIS WOULD SPOTLIGHT WHOLE

ISSUE UNDESIRABLY. I HAVE THEREFORE EXPRESSED VIEW IN UK MISSION

THAT IT WILL BE PREFERABLE TO STICK TO TACTICAL PLAN TIN

PARAGRAPH 3 OF YOUR TEL AND ACCEPT DELAY.

3. QUESTION OF HONG KONG'S GATT POSITION AFTER 1 JANUARY MAY BE TOUCHED ON IN STANDARDS WORKING GROUP MEETING 4 TO 15 DECEMBER

IN DISCUSSION OF APPLICATION OF STANDARDS CODE TO DEPENDENT TERRITORIES. IF SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LIMIT ANY STATEMENT TO FACT THAT THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE IN U K'S RESPONSIBILITY FOR

HONG KONG'S EXTERNAL COMMERCIAL RELATIONS.

FCO PASS COPIES TO HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON:

G T ROGERS S WM DIVISION, D T 1: MISS J ELLIOTT, CRE 1 DTI.

MASON

[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]

COPIES TO

MR GT ROGERS

INTERNATIONAL TRADE DISTRIBUTION

TPD HKIOD

SWM DIV DTI

MISS J ELLIOTT

CRE 1 DTI

HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE

GRAFTON ST LONDON

CONFIDENTIAL