TNAG-0464-FCO40-529-Entitlement-of-Hong-Kong-to-EEC-Generalised-Scheme-of-Prefer-1974 — Page 4

HONGAID LONDON

REUTERS LON

A @ OCT 1074

C LTX639 29034 NBI 400 YY TWX

: PROHONGAID LONDON ONE:

GIS 317

FOR BOXALL FROM TALIP

THE DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, MR. DAVID JORDAN, ISSUED THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT ON HIS RETURN TO HONG KONG THIS (MONDAY) EVENING AFTER HOLDING TRADE TALKS IN LONDON WITH BRITISH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS:

+1 WENT TO LONDON FOR THE THIRD IN A SERIES OF MEETINGS WE HOLD WITH BRITISH OFFICIALS CONCERNED WITH MATTERS AFFECTING HONG KONG'S TRADE.

+ON THESE OCCASIONS E GATHER TOGETHER ALL HONG KONG'S OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVES IN EUROPE AND HAVE A JOINT MEETING WITH OFFICIALS OF THE FOREIGN AND COMMON EALTH OFFICE AND THE DEPARTMENTS OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY.

+THE PRINCIPAL SUBJECTS WE HAD TO DISCUSS ON THIS OCCASION WERE AGAIN HONG KONG'S TREATMENT UNDER THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY'S GENERALISED SCHEME OF PREFERENCES AND FUTURE ARRANGEMENTS FOR HONG KONG'S TEXTILE EXPORTS TO THE COMMUNITY.

+IN NOVEMBER LAST YEAR MP. JOHN DAVIES TOLD THE COMMUNITY'S COUNCIL OF MINISTERS THAT BRITAIN WOULD PRESS STRONGLY FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE PRESENT DISCRIMINATION AGAINST HONG KONG'S TEXTILE AND FOOTWEAR EXPORTS IN THE E.E.C.'S G.S.P.

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ZCZC LTX812 29033 NBI L01

YY TWX

1110: PROHONGAID LONDON TWO:

+THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION SUBSEQUENTLY RECOMMENDED THAT HONG KONG'S FOOTWEAR SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE SCHEME FOR 1975.

+ IN JUNE THIS YEAR THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, MR. CALLAGHAN, SAID IN THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM WAS SEEKING SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT IN THE POSITION OF HONG KONG UNDER THE SCHEME.

+SINCE THENHMFFICIALKBMULOGE COMMISSION AND THE MEMBER STATES HAVE BEEN HAVING REGULAR DISCUSSIONS ON THE COMMISSION'S PROPOSALS FOR 1975. 1. TASL DISCUSSIONS THE BRITISH OFFICIALS INVOLVED HAVE BEEN PRESSING HEAD FOR CHANGES IN THE SCHEME THAT WOULD IMPROVE THE PROSPECTS FOR HONG KONG.

+THIS SIRED A 0000 TIME TO GO TO LONDON RECAUSE THESE DISCUSS- TONS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY HAVE NO CRYSTALLISED SUFFICIENTLY FOR BRITISH MINISTERS TO BE READY TO TAKE DECISIONS ON THE LINE THAT SHOULD BE THEN OF THE 1 75 SCHEVE WHEN IT COMES ON THE AGENDA OF THE COVITTER DE CENTE V PEPRESENTATIVES AND SUBSETUENTLY OF THE CULT OIL TY MINISTUS ITSELF.

+ THE RITISH OFFICI∙LS CONCERNED WISHED TO BE SURE THAT BEFORE THESE DEC1313-6 ERE TAKEN, E IN HONG KONG SHOULD HAVEN OPPORTUN- ITY TO CO VENT LOSING IN THE LIGHT OF THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS.

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