IMPORT LICENCES
CONFIDENTIAL
.4. THE GOVERNMENT DECREES WHICH WOULD SUPPLEMENT THE QUOTE AVIS
AUX HMPORTATEURS UNQUOTE OF 23 JUNE HAVE BEEN PREPARED AND ARE READY FOR ISSUE: THEY WOULD CONTAIN THE QUOTA LIMITS FOR THE COUNTRIES COVERED BY THE AVIS. FOR HONG KONG (AS FOR MOST OTHER COUNTRIES COVERED BY THE MFA) THE QUOTAS WOULD BE THE SAME AS ALREADY PROVIDED BY THE MFA. HOWEVER, THESE DECREES HAVE NOT DEEN ISSUED, BECAUSE THE FRENCH CONCLUDE THAT FURTHER UNILATERAL ACTION WOULD PUT THEM IN THE WRONG WITH THE COMMISSION. HENCE THE STANDSTILL ON IMPORT LICENSES. THE MINISTRY HOPE, HOWEVER, THAT DISCUSSIONS IN BRUSSELS WILL MOVE FAST ENOUGH TO ENABLE COMMUNNITY- BASED MEASURES TO BE PUT INTO EFFECT IN 10 TO 15 DAYS TIME, IF THE COMMUNITY PROPOSALS ARE ACCEPTED, HONG KONG SHOULD NOT BE COVERED AT ALL.
5.THE MINISTRY HAVE TOLD US FIRMLY THAT THEY ARE RESPECTING THEIR COMMITMENTS ON GOODS IN TRANSIT. WHERE THE EXPORTER CAN PRODUCE EVIDENCE THAT THE GOODS WERE SHIPPED BEFORE 23 JUNE, THEY ARE ADMITTED UNDER THE OLD SYSTEM AND DO NOT REQUIRE LICENSES. THE HONG KONG TRADE DEVELOPMENT CENTRE OFFICE HERE ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY CASES WHERE GOODS IN TRANSIT HAVE BEEN REFUSED ENTRY.
6. WE WOULD BE PREPARED TO GO BACK TO THE FRENCH TO EXPLAIN THE DIFFICULTIES CAUSED BY HONG KONG BY THE REFUSAL TO ISSUE IMPORT LICENSES. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR DETAILS ON THE LEVEL OF TRANS- ACTIONS AFFECTED AND IN PARTICULAR FOR PRECISE INFORMATION OF ANY EXAMPLES OF GOODS IN TRANSIT WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN ADMITTED.
7. THE DIRECTEUR OF THE CABINET OF M ROSSI, THE RESPONSIBLE MINISTER, SAYS THAT THE GOOD EFFECT OF M ROSSI'S VISIT TO HONG KONG STILL INFLUENCES HIM, AND THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL TRADE WILL DO THEIR BEST TO LET HONG KONG OFF AS LIGHTLY AS POSSIBLE.
HENDERSON
FILES
HKYGD (5)
EID
PRES SEC
WED
FRD
TRED
PSILORD GORONWY ROBERTS
PS JMR TOMLINS ON
PSIMR JUDD
MR CORTAZZI
MR BUTLER
MR HIBBERT MR FRETWELL
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COPIES
то
MR.S.T. KIDD. HONG KONG
GOVERNMENT OFFICE
CONFIDENTIAL
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