TNAG-1402-FCO40-1874-Future-of-Hong-Kong-continued-participation-in-the-General-A-1985 — Page 205

CONFIDENTIAL

THAT THE EEC RESTRICTIONS ON PRESERVED MUSHROOMS WERE ILLEGAL IN

GATT TERMS.

(C) AT THE GATT COUNCIL MEETINGS OF 9 OCTOBER 1980, AND OF 9 MARCH 1981, THE DISPUTE BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND THE EEC OVER THE LATTER'S REFUNDS ON EXPORTS OF SUGAR WAS RAISED. AUSTRALIA PROPOSED CERTAIN

DRAFT DECISIONS TO BE ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL.

(NEXT TWO WORDS UNDERLINED)

HONG KONG INTERVENED TO SUPPORT AUSTRALIA.

(D) IN 1983 THE GATT COMMITTEES ON SUBSIDIES AND COUNTERVAILING

MEASURES ESTABLISHED A PANEL TO REPORT ON EEC SUBSIDIES ON EXPORTS

OF PASTA PRODUCTS WITH A HONG KONG OFFICER IN THE CHAIR: THE PANEL

FOUND AGAINST THE EEC.

(E) AT THE GATT COUNCIL MEETING OF 30 APRIL 1985, THE U.S. SOUGHT

ADOPTION OF THE PANEL REPORT ON EEC'S TARIFF TREATMENT ON IMPORTS

OF CITRUS PRODUCTS FROM CERTAIN MEDITERRANEAN COUNTRIES.

(NEXT TWO WORDS UNDERTINED).

HONG KONG INTERVENED IMPLYING SUPPORT OF THE U.S. POSITION.

4. IN THE CONTEXT OF THE NEGOTIATIONS IN PEKING LAST YEAR IT WAS

REPRESENTED TO THE CHINESE THAT HONG KONG ENJOYS DE FACTO

AUTONOMY IN THE CONDUCT OF ITS EXTERNAL COMMERCIAL RELATIONS.

HADDON-CAVE

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

KR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS

KR VARTIN, ASST STAFF CABINET

OFFICE

MR GARTLEDGE, CABINET OFFICE MR DR C CHRISTOPHER, CABINET OFF. SIR P.CRADDOCK, No. 10 DOWNING ST.

CONFIDENTIAL