TNAG-1402-FCO40-1874-Future-of-Hong-Kong-continued-participation-in-the-General-A-1985 — Page 198

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HKK 040/24

CONFIDENTIAL

GRS 190

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 06091OZ JUN 85

TO IMMEDIATE F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1094 OF 6 JUNE

BRUSSELS, BRUSSELS (FOR JONES), WASHINGTON.

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKMIS GENEVA (COPY FOR CARTLAND),

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.

94

96

DEGR

DEX T

ху

UKREP

YOUR TELNOS 781 AND 782: HONG KONG'S FUTURE POSITION IN GATT AND

CCC.

AS IT IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR OWN LOGISTICAL REASONS TO CONSULT EXCO ON 11 JUNE. THE PAPER WILL BE ISSUED AS INDICATED.

2. ON REFLECTION, WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE UNNECESSARY CONDITION- ALITY INTRODUCED BY THE LAST SENTENCE OF THE UK DECLARATION. WE WOULD URGE THAT THAT SENTENCE BE ALTERED TO READ: IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAID ARTICLE AND ITS OWN WISHES, HONG KONG WILL, WITH EFFECT FROM THE DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION, BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACTING PARTY TO THE AGREEMENT.''

3. THE UK DECLARATION, AS AMENDED ABOVE, WOULD THEN ALSO TIE UP NEATLY WITH THE HONG KONG DECLARATION, IN WHICH HONG KONG CONFIRMS ITS WISHES. INDEED IT WOULD LOOK ODD IF THE UK WERE TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT IT HAD NOT ASCERTAINED HONG KONG'S WISHES BEFORE MAKING ITS OWN DECLARATION.

HADDON-CAVE

LIMITED

HKD

FED

ECD (E) PS PS/PUS

MR WILSON

COPIES TO:

HKGO LONDON

MR FIFOOT LEGAL ADVISERS

MISS WILMSHURST LEGAL ADVISERS MR A J PRYOR ITP DTI

MRS HEALD HMCE MARK LANE

CONFIDENTIAL