TNAG-0520-FCO40-615-Visit-of-Lord-Goronwy-Roberts--Parliamentary-Under-Secretary-1987 — Page 57

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Question:

In view of your confidence in the state of the British

economy, perhaps you can give an assurance that no

unilateral quotas on imports into the U.K. beyond those which already exist at the present time will be imposed;

and if you are not able to give this assurance would you

be able to give an assurance that, should such quotas be

imposed, Hong Kong would be exempted from them?

Minister: You are speaking of new quotas, or the new system of quotas?

Question: Fossibility of any new quota restriction on import of goods

into the U.K.

Minister:

Question:

I can't anticipate the course or the conclusion of current

negotiations on this or any other aspect of our membership

and its impact on you or any other part of, should I say, the British societies round the world. However, I would

like to repeat for emphasis in answer to that question of

practice now and our continuing intention to negotiate

very strongly indeed and not only resist extra further

restrictions on trade for territories such as yours, but if

we possibly can, to reduce them and to liberalise as far as

possible your opportunities.

In fact when I asked that question I wasn't specifically

referring to arrangements within the E.E.C. I was referring

to the possibility of some overall import quotas being imposed by the .K. and in the event of such imposition whether Hong Kong would be exempt?

Minister: Well, I can't envisage or anticipate bilateral happening of

that sort. I would mislead you if I tried to give an answer

to what I very much think is a hypothetical situation.

However, I think you have a very good point here, if I may

say so, in terms of other bilateral impacts on your trade here,

/13.