TNAG-1401-FCO40-1873-Future-of-Hong-Kong-continued-participation-in-the-General-A-1985 — Page 248

1984 file

040/24

2

GRS 330

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FY HONG KONG 0607432 FEB 05

TO PRIORITY F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 294 OF 6 FEBRUARY

INFO PRIORITY PEKING,

UKMIS GENEVA.

RECEIV

TOP COPY

LUCK 040 124.

MY

INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, WASHIFETON 995

BRUSSELS (FOR JONES)

YOUR TELNO. 915 OF 1984 AND GALSWORTHY'S TELELETTER OF 5 OCTOBER 1984 TO GENEVA : HONG KONG'S FUTURE POSITION IN CATT AND CCC.

WE NOW HAVE TO CONSIDER SEEKING EXECUTIVE COUNCIL'S ADVICE ON WHETHER TO APPROACH MINISTERS FOR APPROVAL FOR A DECLARATION IN HONG KONG'S FAVOUR UNDER ARTICLE XXVI(5)(C), SO THAT THIS COULD BE TAKEN UP WITH THE CHINESE AT AN EARLY STAGE OF THE WORK OF THE JOINT

IT LIAISON GROUP. IN THE EVENT OF SUCH A DECLARATION BEING MADE, WOULD SEEM SENSIBLE FOR A PARALLEL DECLARATION TO BE MADE UNDER THE CONVENTION ESTABLISHING THE CUSTOMS CO-OPERATION COUNCIL.

2. AT THIS STAGE OF OUR CONSIDERATION, WE WOULD APPRECIATE A MORE PRECISE INDICATION OF OUR FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS. ACCORDINGLY, GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD LET US KNOW THE APPROXIMATE AMOUNTS THAT WE WOULD BE EXPECTED TO CONTRIBUTE IN 1985 TO THE GATT AND TO THE CCC, IF HONG KONG WERE ALREADY DEEMED TO PE A SEPARATE CONTRACTING PARTY TO THESE ARRANGEMENTS.

A DECLARATION OF HONG KONG'S AUTONOMY 3. IT WOULD BE APPARENT THAT IN THE CONDUCT OF ITS EXTERNAL COMMERCIAL RELATIONS MUST MEAN A DIMINUTION OF HMG'S RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS REGARD. HOWEVER, EXECUTIVE COUNCIL CAN BE EXPECTED TO ASK, HAVING REGARD TO HMG'S CONTINUED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG UP TO 30 JUNE 1997, THE DEGREE OF SUPPORT HONG KONG CAN EXPECT FROM HMG IN THESE MATTERS, IN PARTICULAR THE EXTENT TO WHICH BRITISH MISSIONS WILL BE WILLING TO LOOK AFTER HONG KONG'S INTERESTS. IN THIS CONNECTION, WE DO NOT OURSELVES ENVISAGE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE IN THE EXISTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR REPRESENTING HONG KONG'S COMMERCIAL RELATIONS INTERESTS IN THIRD COUNTRIES AND WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE TO LOOK TO BRITISH POSTS FOR THEIR SUPPORT. WE TRUST THIS WOULD NOT CAUSE ANY PROBLEMS.

1.984 fele

See (19

YOUDE

HONG KONG AGREEMENT

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

HD/PLANNING STAFF

HD/PUSD

DEP HD/PUSD

RESEARCH DEPT (MR WALKER)

PS

PSAR LUCE

PS/PUS

SIR W HARDING

MR WILSON

SIR J FREELAND

MR J CROWLEY, PUSD

COPIES TO:(VIA ADR)

MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT

MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS

MR BURROWS, LEGAL ADVISERS

MR KARTIN, ASST STAFF CABINET

OFFICE

MR CARTLEDGE, CABINET OFFICE MR DR C CHRISTOPHER, CABINET OFF. SIR P CRADOCK, NO 10 DOWNING ST

HKGU LONDON,

CONFIDENTIAL