TNAG-0520-FCO40-615-Visit-of-Lord-Goronwy-Roberts--Parliamentary-Under-Secretary-1987 — Page 36

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Trade

Question: May I ask you two related questions on trade:

Minister:

Question:

Minister:

The British clothing industry, specifically the knitwear sector is saying some very harsh things about imports from Hong Kong. To what extent do you expect these views to be taken into account in formulating government policy. The relevant fields are Hong Kong vis-a-vis the E.E.C. General Scheme of Preference, also the coming textile negotiations with the E.E.C.?

I welcome that question. I want to give once more a full assurance that the United Kingdom Government will continue to exert its very best endeavours to protect and promote Hong Kong trading interests specifically in the fields you mentioned, General Scheme of Preference within E.E.C. and also, of course, the G.A.T.T. round of negotiations. You and I can go into much further detail, I know, but I hope that is the assurance that your question sought.

Could I ask you briefly one related question? Britain has: untill 31st to exercise a certain prerogative on tariffs on goods imported from Hong Kong under the General Scheme of Preference, will this prerogative be exercised in our favour?

We shall use every prerogative and right we have within E.E.C. to secure the very best bargain we dan for Hong Kong and any other territory which is in relation to the United Kingdom, and also for ourselves, we're in the E.E.C., we are also in re-negotiation with E.E.C. to adjust and improve a number of conditions of membership, one of which one of the most important of which is the relationship

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of the E.E.C. in the future with what I must call for lack

of a better name the dependencies of the past which continue in special relationships to us, and Hong Kong is certainly one of the very, very most important of those.

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