TNAG-1401-FCO40-1873-Future-of-Hong-Kong-continued-participation-in-the-General-A-1985 — Page 201

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TELNO 509 OF 20 MARCH 1984) SHOULD BE TAKEN UP WITH THE CHINESE

AT AN EARLY STAGE IN THE WORK OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP.

SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS, WE THINK IT MIGHT BE PREMATURE TO DO THIS

AT THE FIRST MEETING OF THE JLG, WHICH WILL PROBABLY BE TAKEN UP

WITH DISCUSSION OF WORKING METHODS, SUBGROUPS, ETC. THE SECOND

MEETING IN LATE 1985/EARLY 1986 SEEMS MORE LIKELY. GRATEFUL FOR

YOUR VIEWS.

5.

IF A DECLARATION IS MADE IN THE GATT, WE TOO WOULD SEE

ADVANTAGE IN MAKING A PARALLEL DECLARATION UNDER THE CONVENTION

ESTABLISHING THE CCC. AS WITH GATT, WE ALSO THINK IT WOULD BE

PREFERABLE FOR HONG KONG TO BE PROPOSED FOR SEPARATE MEMBERSHIP

BY THE UK AND THE PRC JOINTLY. AS YOU POINT OUT IN YOUR PAPER ON

THE CCC ATTACHED TO DAVIES' LETTER, HONG KONG'S ADMISSION WOULD

REQUIRE CAREFUL PREPARATION IN ORDER TO GAIN THE NECESSARY TWO

THIRDS MAJORITY SUPPORT IN THE COUNCIL.

6. YOUR PARA 3. WE SHALL HAVE TO LOOK CAREFULLY AT THE

PRACTICAL CONSEQUENCES OF CHANGES AFFECTING HONG KONG'S CONDUCT

OF ITS EXTERNAL COMMERCIAL RELATIONS OVER THE NEXT 12 YEARS FOR

OUR OWN RESPONSIBILITIES. FOR INSTANCE, IF HONG KONG WERE TO

BECOME A SEPARATE CONTRACTING PARTY TO THE GATT, YOU MIGHT

REQUIRE A SEPARATE MISSION IN GENEVA. HOWEVER, OUR INITIAL VIEW

IS THAT, GIVEN OUR CONTINUED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE

ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG UP TO 1997, BRITISH POSTS ABROAD

WOULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT HONG KONG'S INTERESTS.

HOWE

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ECD(E)

COPIES TO

MR BURROWS LEGAL ADVISER

MISS WILMSHURST LEGAL ADVISER

MR HALLET ECONOMIC ADVISER

HKGD LONDON

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