GRS 359
PRIORITY
CYPHER CAT A
FM UKREP BRUSSELS 0623592-
RESTRICTED
FRAME
RESTRICTED
seat to
B.T.C.
13/11
Сери
HKK 6/3.
153
1. Goodfellow
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1973
TC PRIORITY F C C TELNO. 5359 OF 6 NOVEMBER/INFO PRIORTEL HONKONG
INFO SAVING UKMIS GENEVA EEC POSTS (COPY TO DODGE, H K OFF
BRUSSELS).
MIFT:
MEETING OF THE COUNCIL 6 NOVEMBER 1973:
ITEM 9:
GENERALISED SCHEME OF PREFERENCES: HONG KONG.
.
1. IN THE DISCUSSION OF THE COMMUNITY'S GENERALISED SCHEME OF
PREFERENCES FOR 1974 THE CHANCELLOR OF THE DUCHY OF LANCASTER
MADE A STRONG STATEMENT ON THE POSITION OF HONG KONG. HE SAID
THAT DURING THE ENLARGEMENT NECOTIATIONS IN 191 THE COMMUNITY
HAD AGREED TO ADMIT HONG KONG TO ITS GSP, SUBJECT TO THE
EXCLUSION OF HER TEXTILES AND FOOTWEAR EXPORTS. WHEN OUR CHIEF
NEGOTIATOR MR RIPFON HAD AGREED THIS ARRANGEMENT HE HAD MADE
IT CLEAR TO THE COMMUNITY THAT IT WOULD BE THE UNITED KINGDOM'S
CONTINUING CONCERN TO AVOID DISCRIMINATION AGAINST HONG KONG,
THE ARRANGEMENTS AGREED BY OUR PARTNERS IN 1971 MAY HAVE SEENED
TO THEM NOT UNGEMEROUS. EUT AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION WAS THE
FACT THAT SINCE 1971 THE SITUATION HAD CHANGED TO THE DETRIMENT
OF HONG KONG IN THAT THE PHILIPPINES, THAILAND AND YUGOSLAVIA
ALL OF THEM SERIOUS COMPETITORS OF HONG KONG HAD BECOME
BENEFICIARIES UNDER THE COMMUNITY'S SCHEME IN RESPECT OF COTTON
TEXTILES. WE HAD EXAMINED THIS MATTER CAREFULLY AND HAD CONCLUDED
THAT IN PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES IT WAS NO LONGER ACCEPTABLE FOR
DISCRIMINATION TO APPLY AGAINST HONG KONG,
RESTRICTED
/2. THR
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