TNAG-1492-FCO40-2050-Future-of-Hong-Kong-General-Agreement-on-Tariffs-and-Trade-(-1986 — Page 109

GRS 400

CONFIDENTIAL

FM PEKING

TO DESKBY 24080OZ FCO

TELNO 636

CONFIDENTIAL

HKR 12211

RFC:

2 5 APR 1986

OF 240624Z APRIL 86

INFO FLASH HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA

INDE

YOUR TELNO.342

HONG KONG AMD GATT

PUBLICITY.

14.

1. BLUNT TOOK ACTION AS INSTRUCTED BY TELEPHONE EARLY THIS

MORNING. LI CHUANSHENG SUBSEQUENTLY RELAYED WANG JIAJI'S RESPONSE. WANG WISHED TO MAKE 5 POINTS:

(A) THE CHINESE SIDE HAD NO OBJECTION TO HKG ISSUING A PRESS

RELEASE ON GATT AND ALSO HAD NO OBJECTION TO OUR PROPOSED DRAFT.,

(B) THE CHINESE COULD ACCEPT ISSUE OF THE PRESS RELEASE AT 24090OZ

(1700 LOCAL TODAY).,

(C) THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT MAKE ANY FORMAL PRESS RELEASE

ON THE SUBJECT. HOWEVER, MFA SPOKESMEN WOULD RESPOND APPROPPIATEDLY TO PRESS QUESTIONS.,

ISSUE

(D) ACCORDING TO REPORTS RECEIVED FROM THE CHINESE REPRESENTATIVE IN GENEVA, THE GATT SECRETARIAT WOULD ISSUE THEIR OWN PRESS RELEASE

ON THE SUBJECT TODAY. THE NCNA CORRESPONDENT IN GENEVA WOULD

REPORTS BASED ON NEWS EMERGING FROM THE GATT SECRETARIAT.,

(E) THE MFA UNDERSTOOD THAT THE FIRST SENTENCE OF THE CHINESE

DECLARATION DELIVERED YESTERDAY TO THE DEPUTY DG OF THE GATT

DIFFERED SLIGHTLY FROM THAT AGREED AT JLG 111 (HONG KONG TELN0751). THE SENTENCE AS DELIVERED READ: ''I AM INSTRUCTED BY THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, WITH REFERENCE TO THE COMMUNICATION WHICH THE UNITED KINGDOM MISSION IN GENEVA ADDRESSED TO YOUR EXCELLENCY TODAY, TO NOTIFY YOUR EXCELLENCY OF THE DECLARATION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AS FOLLOWS''. AS YOU WILL SEE, THE CHINESE GENEVA REPRESENTATIVE HAS INSERTED THE WORDS OF THE DECLARATION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA'

IN THE FINAL PHRASE. LI DESCRIBED THIS AS A STYLISTIC IMPROVEMENT.

THE LETTER ALSO CLOSES WITH THE FOLLOWING COURTESIES: ** | AVAIL

MYSELF OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO RENEW TO YOU THE ASSURANCES OF MY

HIGHEST CONSIDERATION. QIAN JIADONG AMBASSADOR PERMANENT REPRES-

ENTATIVE!! LI ADDED THAT THE CHINESE SIDE CONSIDERED THAT ANY

PRESS RELEASE TO BE ISSUED SHOULD REFER TO THE TEXTS OF THE

DECLARATIONS AS DISTRIBUTED BY THE CATT SECRETARIAT.

·

2. BLUNT THANKED LI FOR WANG'S HELPFUL RESPONSE. HE UNDERTOOK TO

REPORT.

CONFIDENTIAL

13.

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