TNAG-1492-FCO40-2050-Future-of-Hong-Kong-General-Agreement-on-Tariffs-and-Trade-(-1986 — Page 173

CONFIDENTIAL

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1

TO THIS END.

3.

WE HAVE JUST SEEN UKMIS TELNO 193. WE CONFIRM UKMIS

SHOULD GO AHEAD ON 23 APRIL. AS DISCUSSED IN TELECON,

SMITH/MONTGOMERY, WE SHOULD ALSO BE GRATEFUL IF UKMIS COULD TRY

TO PERSUADE THE SECRETARIAT TO DELAY THEIR PRESS RELEASE UNTIL

TWO(TWO) DAYS AFTER THE DECLARATIONS, SO THAT IT DOES NOT PRECEDE

THE HONG KONG RELEASE. UKMIS NEED NOT HOWEVER PRESS THE

SECRETARIAT TOO HARD IF THEY JIB: THEIR CONTINUED GOODWILL IS

IMPORTANT, AND THE DECLARATIONS ARE AFTER ALL PRIMARILY A GENEVA

EVENT.

4.

PEKING SHOULD NOW TAKE ACTION ON THE PRESS RELEASE,

SPEAKING ALONG THE LINES OF PARA 4 OF OUR TELNO 314 (BUT SAYING

THAT THE RELEASE WOULD BE PUT OUT TWO (TWO) DAYS AFTER THE

DECLARATIONS, I.E. ON 25 APRIL). THE TEXT OF THE RELEASE, WHICH PEKING SHOULD HAND OVER, IS AS IN HONG KONG TELNO 1146, AMENDED

BY HONG KONG TELNO 1153 AND OUR TELNO 321.

HOWE

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: RESTRICTED

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

COPIES TO:

MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS

RESEARCH D (FE)

DEP/HD PUSD PS/MR RENTON MR WILSON

CONFIDENTIAL