TNAG-0463-FCO40-528-Entitlement-of-Hong-Kong-to-EEC-Generalised-Scheme-of-Prefer-1974 — Page 141

GRS 400

PRIORITY

CYPHER CAT A

FM UKREP BRUSSELS 2719157

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

!!!

#

-O JUN 1974

FRAME DEPTL

HKK 6/598/1

MAG

57

6/595/1

la

4/11

TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO. 2420 OF 27 MAY INFO UKMIS GENEVA INFO SAVING E E C POSTS.

YOUR TELNO. 477:

LAST

RE:

(56) (52

52

i

GENERALISED SCHEME OF PREFERENCES (GSP).

NEXT

REF

1. I SPOKE ACCORDINGLY TO DAY TO BOTH THE PRESIDENT OF THE

COMMISSION AND TO THE VICE PRESIDENT RESPONSIBLE FOR EXTERNAL RELATIONS.

2.

ORTOLI LISTENED AND MADE AN OCCASIONAL NOTE, HE ASSENTED IN PARTICULAR TO THE PROPOSITION THAT IMPROVEMENTS TO THE G S P WOULD BE A MEANS OF HELPING THOSE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, ESPECIALLY THOSE COVERED BY THE JOINT DECLARATION OF INTENT, FOR WHOM ASSOCIATION IS NOT AVAILABLE. BUT OTHERWISE HE MADE NO COMMENT BEYOND THANKING ME AND NOTING THAT I WOULD BE SPEAKING AT GREATER LENGTH TO SOAMES.

3. I DID SO IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER AND LEFT A SHORT PIECE OF PAPER WITH SCAMES (COPIED BY BAG TO DEPARMENT) SUMMARISING THE POINTS THROUGH WHICH I TOOK HIM IN SOME DETAIL FROM YOUR T U R

AND OTHER TELEGRAMS. HE SAID THAT SO FAR AS THE COMMISSION WAS

CONCERNED WE WERE PUSHING AT A LARGELY OPEN DOOR IN URGING

IMPROVEMENTS IN TE G S P. BUT WE WOULD REALISE THAT THE

COMMISSION HAD TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE VIEWS OF 8 OTHER MEMBER

COUNTRIES, FEW OF WHOM WERE AS KEEN AS WE TO SEE VERY SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES MADE. IN GENERAL SOAMES' LIME WAS VERY CLOSE TO THAT

TAKEN BY THE COMMISSION DURING THE MEETING IN BRUSSELS ON MAY 16 REPORTED IN MY 2309. IN PARTICULAR HE SHOWED LITTLE DISPOSITION

TO ACCEPT OUR ARGUMENTS IN RESPECT OF HONG KONG. HE SAID THAT

UNDER THE COMMISSION'S PROPOSALS HONG KONG WOULD NOT BE LOSING

ANY BENEFITS. BUT CERTAIN LESS FAVOURED DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

CONFIDENTIAL

/ WOULD