CONFIDENTIAL
HONG KONG WILL BE ENTITLED, IF THE CORRECT PROCEDURE IS FOLLOWED, TO BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACTING PARTY. WE THEREFORE WISH TO
RETAIN THE WORD ''SHOULD INSTEAD OF COULD'
# 1
5 WITH REGARD TO PARAGRAPH 3(C) OF THAT TELELETTER, WE AGREE THAT WE SHOULD AVOID LANGUAGE WHICH INVITES A POSITIVE RESPONSE. HOWEVER, WE DO WISH THE PRC (IF THEY CAN BE PERSUADED TO DO SO) TO INFORM THE OTHER PARTIES TO GATT OF ITS INTENTION THAT THE SAR
SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACTING PARTY AFTER 1997. OUR OBJECT IS TO MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR OTHER PARTIES TO RAISE OBJECTIONS LATER, E.G. ON THE GROUND THAT HONG KONG CANNOT REMAIN A CONTRACTING PARTY AFTER 1997 UNLESS THE PRC HAS ITSELF BY THEN BECOME A PARTY TO GATT AND HAS MADE A FRESH DECLARATION UNDER ARTICLE XXVI (5) (C). FOR THESE REASONS, WE PREFER TO RETAIN THE LAST SENTENCE OF THE DRAFT PRC DECLARATION BUT TO CHANGE THE WORD
''REQUESTS' TO ''CONSIDERS''.
6. AS REGARDS PARA. 5 OF UKMIS GENEVA TELNO 192 AND PARA. 21 OF THE DRAFT EXCO PAPER, WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE CLEAR THAT WE TOC DO NOT SUGGEST RAISING THE ISSUE OF HONG KONG MISSIONS IN JLG IN THE CURRENT CONTEXT. NEVERTHELESS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH NORMAL PRACTICE, WE SHOULD LET EXCO KNOW WHAT THE UNRESOLVED SIDE ISSUES ARE WHEN THEY ARE ASKED TO ADVISE ON A MATTER OF IMPORTANCE.
7. AS THE FIRST MEETING OF THE JLG IS LESS THAN TWO MONTHS AWAY AND IF THE SUBJECT OF HONG KONG'S FUTURE POSITION IN THE GATT IS TO BE ON THE AGENDA, EXCO WILL NEED TO BE CONSULTED BY (MID-JUNE)
AT THE LATEST.
YOUDE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
HD/PLANNING STAFF
HD/PUSD
DEP HD/PUSD
RESEARCH DEPT (MR WALKER)
PS
PS/MR LUCE
PS/PUS
SIR W HARD ING
MR WILSON
SIR J FREELAND
MR J CROWLEY, PUSD
COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)
MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS
MR MARTIN, ASST STAFF CABINET
MR MALLABY
OFFICE CABINET OFFICE HR BB C CHRISTOPHER, CABINET OFF.
SIR P CRADDOCK, No. 10 DOWNING ST.
CONFIDENTIAL
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