TNAG-0762-FCO40-966-Effect-of-GATT-Multi-Fibre-Arrangement-(MFA)-on-Hong-Kong-ex-1978 — Page 196

CONFIDENTIAL

Mr Quantrill

Mr Stewart

HONG KONG STATUS IN GATT

ARK 1all,

INDEX

NE

ORE!

༢༩ཀ༣

25.2/2.

f

1. I attach the '72 files on this subject. The minutes the meeting referred to by Mr Burns, in his letter of 17 January, are flagged as is the paper which the meeting discussed. Later correspondence on the file shows that the GATT Secretariat were not happy with the proposal, which was our first preference, that the Hong Kong representative should sit separately while still being named as a member of the UK delegation.

(14)

2. Two recent telegrams from Ukmis Geneva (copies attached) reporting developments in UNCTAD indicate that the Chinese could well take exception to Hong Kong becoming a separate contacting party to GATT. Admittedly the Chinese do not take part in GATT but we nevertheless have sufficient evidence in my view of their general attitude to black any new proposals from Hong Kong.

3. I suggest that in replying to Mr Burns Mr Stewart thanks him for the advance warning and confirms that we intend to take no action unless pressed by Hong Kong. attach a draft.

I

J Thompson

30 January 1978

Hong Kong & General Dept.

Enc.

CONFIDENTIAL