TNAG-1056-FCO40-1306-Trade-relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-the-EEC-1981 — Page 30

CONFIDENT AL

00 BTC HONG KONG DESKBY 300100Z

Hat=121112 34434 -

GRS 199

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY 300100Z

FM FCO 291830Z OCT 81

TO IMMEDIATE BTC HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 59 OF 29 OCTOBER

FOR MARCH' FROM CLIFT

YOUR TELNO BTC 139 OF 29 OCTOBER

1.

DESK DAT

TAY

INDEX

A

NR

THE

IT IS QUITE TRUE THAT MR REES' STATEMENT AT THE LUXEMBOURG

FOREIGN AFFAIRS COUNCIL DID NOT INCLUDE ANY REFERENCE TO

DIFFERENTIATION. THIS WAS BECAUSE THERE WAS NO NEED FOR

DISCUSSION OF DIFFERENTIATION BY MINISTERS AT THIS COUNCIL.

COMMUNITY HAS ALREADY AGREED THAT IT SHOULD DIFFERENTIATE IN

FAVOUR OF THE LEAST COMPETITIVE AND LEAST DEVELOPED SUPPLIERS:

AND THAT IN CONSIDERING TREATMENT OF THE NEWLY INDUSTRIALISING

COUNTRIES AND STATE TRADERS IT SHOULD TAKE ACCOUNT OF CONDITIONS

OF ACCESS TO THEIR MARKETS FOR COMMUNITY PRODUCTS. IT IS THE

LAST POINT WHICH IS OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO HONG KONG. HMG'S

POSITION REMAINS AS SET OUT BY THE GOVERNMENT SPEAKERS IN THE

TEXTILE DEBATE IN THE HOUSE ON 18 JUNE (HANSARD COLS 1190FF).

2. FOR YOUR OWN INFORMATION, MINISTERS WILL NEXT THURSDAY BE CONSIDERING WHAT LINE WE SHOULD TAKE IN THE BRUSSELS DISCUSSIONS,

WHICH CONTINUE AT A SPECIAL COUNCIL ON 10 NOVEMBER, IN VIEW

OF THE FAILURE OF THIS WEEK'S COUNCIL TO AGREE ON KEY ISSUES

LIKE QUOTA BASE LEVELS.

3. DOT ARE REPLYING SEPARATELY ON EXPORT CREDITS.

CARRINGTON

NNNN

DIST

FRAME EXTERNAL

HKGD

ECD(E)

1

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