TNAG-1491-FCO40-2049-Future-of-Hong-Kong-General-Agreement-on-Tariffs-and-Trade-(-1986 — Page 204

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CONFIDENTIAL

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RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

- 3 FEB 1986

DESK OFFICER INDEX

26

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SIRY Action Taken

GRS 300 CONFIDENTIAL

FM UKREP BRUSSELS

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 117

OF 151735Z JANUARY 96

INFO ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA

3

UKMIS GENEVA TELEGRAM NO. 1: GATT, CHINA AND HONG KONG.

1. SO FAR WE HAVE, ON INSTRUCTIONS, LIMITED OUT BRIEFING OF THE . COMMISSION TO FIELDING, THE BRITISH DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF DGI TO WHOM WE LAST SPOKE IN NOVEMBER. WE HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT WE WERE

SPEAKING ON A BRITISH/BRITISH DASIS. WE HAVE NOT BRIEFED THE COMMISSION'S GATT SPECIALISTS, OF WHOM FIELDING IS NOT ONE (LYTEN, DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL BELGIAN): APBOTT, DIRECTOR BRITISH, EX-DIPLOMATIC SERVICE). THE COMMISSION REPRESENTATIVE IN CENEVA HAS

BEEN PARTLY BRIEFED (UKMIS TUR).

2. NOW THAT, FOLLOWING DUNKEL'S VISIT TO CHINA, THE ISSUE OF CHINESE MEMBERSHIP OF THE GATT HAS COME TO THE FORE, I REALLY THINK WE NEED TC BRIEF THE SPECIALISTS. THE COMMISSION MAY NOT HAVE MUCH OF A POLE TO PLAY OVER THE DELICATE MANOEIVERING AROUND THE ISSUE OF THE BASIS OF HONG KONG'S MEMBERSHIP IN THE FUTURE. PUT THEY ARE DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HANDLING OF THE CHINESE MEMBERSHIP ISSUE. AND, THERE IS CLEARLY A RISK, AND PERHAPS IN SOME QUARTERS THE DESIRE, TO CONFUSE OR LINK THE TWO ISSUES. ONCE THE COMMISSION SPECIALISTS ARE BRIEFED, WE HAVE A MUCH BETTER CHANCE OF PREVENTING THE TWO ISSUES FROM BECOMING ENTANGLED IN AN UNHELPFUL WAY.

HANNAY

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: RESTRICTED

LIMITED

HD/HKD

RESEARCH D (FE)

HD/FED

D/HD PUSD

MR WILSON

ECD (E)

COPIES TO:

MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS

MR JOHNSON

MR MADLIN

CONFIDENTIAL

DTI