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Foreign and Commonwealth Office London SW1
Telephone 01-
Your reference
file 76
PA 22 12.11
Mr Eric Ho
Director of Commerce & Industry
HONG KONG
Our reference
Date
31 May 1973
75
10xx 6/540/2
HICK 6/1
Dear fame,
When I got back from my visit to Seychelles I took up with Liz Lowne the three questions you raised with me in Hong Kong.
1.
2. On the first, the question of Benelux, you will by now have seen UKREP BRUSSELS telegram No 2814. This is good stirring stuff. But although it displays the Community at its worst, it does at least mean that the question of a special mandate for Hong Kong has been shelved once again pending the GATT discussions in Geneva. I think, therefore, that the result of the meeting covers our joint needs.
3. On the question of the possible precedent created by the EEC extension of the cotton arrangement to Ireland without consul- tation, the DTI have promised to make enquiries through our delegation. Liz Lowne thinks it would be wise to approach the question this way, as the DTI are not certain of the legalities and do not want to protest too loudly until they are certain of their facts.
4. Finally, on the question of the Yugoslav GSP for textiles, she said that although she will check again she thinks there is no risk that this will affect your markets in the UK.
We have, apparently, made it clear that this concession to the Yugoslavs will not apply to the UK even after the beginning of 1974. Moreover, the question of the possible total exclusion of textiles from the GSP is, apparently, still for discussion.
If this is 30,
your difficulties would seem largely to be solved. But since this was her uninstructed reaction, I think it would be prudent not to take this letter as a definitive statement of the position until she has checked on the situation and confirmed it to you.
5. On a fourth point, relating to the preventive service, I am doing nothing unless and until I hear from Hong Kong.
16.
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