TNAG-0463-FCO40-528-Entitlement-of-Hong-Kong-to-EEC-Generalised-Scheme-of-Prefer-1974 — Page 88

GRS 35%

IMMEDIATE

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FM UKREP BRUSSELS 271710Z

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1974

UKMI'S

TO IMMEDIATE FCO TEL NO 3044 OF 27 JUNE,/INFO IMMEDIATE GENEVA (FOR PEARSON) INFO SAVING BRUSSELS (FOR DODGE), AND OTHER

EEC POSTS.

28.01

YOUR TEL NO 612.

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RET

MEETING OF COMMITTEE OF PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES (AMBASSADORS);

27 JUNE.

GENERALISED PREFERENCES FOR HONG KONG.

1. THE FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF A STATEMENT WHICH I MADE THIS

AFTERNOON.

''STATEMENT BY U.K.

IN ACCORDANCE WITH INSTRUCTIONS RECEIVED FROM THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT I SHOULD LIKE TO MAKE A SHORT STATEMENT ABOUT GENERALISED

PREFERENCES FOR HONG KONG.

2. IN THE STATEMENT WHICH THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY MADE IN THE COUNCIL ON 4 JUNE HE SAID:

"'WE NEED SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT IN THE POSITION OF HONG KONG WHERE AT PRESENT THE UK HAS TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST ONE OF ITS OWN

TERRITORIES''.

3. WE WERE GREATLY PLEASED TO SEE THAT IN THE PROPOSALS WHICH THEY MADE PUBLIC LAST WEEK THE COMMISSION ARE SUGGESTING THAT AS REGARDS FOOTWEAR THE COMMUNITY SHOULD ABANDON DISCRIMINATION AGAINST HONG KONG. WE VERY MUCH HOPE THAT WHEN WE COME TO DISCUSS THESE PROPOSALS

THE OTHER MEMBER STATES OF THE COMMUNITY WILL BE ABLE TO AGREE.

/4. NATURALLY

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