A.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, ONLY PARLIAMENT CAN CONCEDE · SOVEREIGNTY, AND WHEN PARLIAMENT CONSIDERS THIS MATTER IT WILL HAVE TO SEE THE AGREEMENT AS A WHOLE AND SEE HOW FAR ALL THE ELEMENTS I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, HOW FAR ALL THE COMPONENTS WE DESIRE CAN BE JUDGED TOGETHER AT THE END OF THE NEGOTIATION, IT IS IN THAT CONTEXT WE SHALL REACH THAT CONCLUSION.
Q14. KAYSER SUNG, TEXTILE ASIA
A.
SIR GEOFFREY, HONG KONG HAS DEEN ENJOYING A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF AUTONOMY IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE THROUGH GATT ORGANISATIONS AND THROUGH MEMBERSHIP OF THE U.K., HOW THIS WILL CONTINUE AFTER 1997 EECAUSE CHINA IS NOT A GATT MEMBER YET?
NO, AND OF COURSE HONG KONG HAS BEEN ENJOYING A SUBSTANTIAL DEGREE OF AUTONOMY IN THAT RESPECT, NOT ALWAYS THROUGH BRITISH PARTICIPATION BUT FROM HONG KONG'S DIRECT PARTICIPATION IN A NUMBER OF SUCH ORGANISATIONS. NOW IT IS CLEARLY RECOGNISED IN THESE NEGOTIATIONS ALL THOSE INTERNATIONAL LINKS, INCLUDING PARTICIPATION IN GATT AND ARRANGEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH IT, WILL CONTINUE, AND THAT IS ONE OF THE MATTERS WHICH WE SHALL BE WANTING TO SOLVE AND CARRY THROUGH INTO EFFECTIVE CONTINUITY BEYOND 1997. IT IS A POINT WELL UNDERSTOOD. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT HONG KONG SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN ITS PARTICIPATION IN THE WHOLE RANGE OF INTERNATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS, INCLUDING
THE ONE YOU HAVE IN MIND.
WILL HONG KONG BECOME A MEMBER OF GATT?
Q.
A.
WE CAN'T YET WORK OUT THE PRECISE MECHANICS.
THE
OBJECTIVE FOR THE PARTICIPATION OF HONG KONG WITH
A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY IN GATT ARRANGEMENTS AND OTHER
ARRANGEMENTS OF THAT KIND IS CLEAR. WE BELIEVE IT WILL
BE POSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE THAT OBJECTIVE UNDER THE
ARRANGEMENTS WE HAVE IN MIND.
Q15. JOHN DICKIE, DAILY MAIL
MANY PEOPLE HAVE EXPRESSED TO US FEARS THAT DESPITE YOUR SINCERITY AND DESPITE THE GOOD INTENTIONS TO
ACHIEVE YOUR OBJECTIVES SUCH AS YOU HAVE SET OUT TODAY,
IN SPITE ALL OF THAT, THEY MIGHT IN THE END EE FACED WITH A SELL OUT. WHAT CAN YOU SAY TO THEM, TO ASSURE THEM THAT THAT WON'T HAPPEN, AND THAT YOU WILL NOT IN THE END BE OBLIGED TO ACCEPT SOMETHING WHICH IS
JUST THE BEST THAT CAN BE NEGOTIATED?
-7-
[A.
THE FACT
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