TNAG-1492-FCO40-2050-Future-of-Hong-Kong-General-Agreement-on-Tariffs-and-Trade-(-1986 — Page 179

GRS ZZO

CONFIDENTIAL

FM UKMIS GENEVA

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 193

CONFIDENTIAL

203

HKK 102/1

RLCI

OF 211335Z APRIL 1986

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, PEKING

FCO TELNO 321: HONG KONG AND GATT

DATE OF DECLARATIONS

ADOR DOL

23 APR 1986

con Taken

1A823/14

1. DUNKEL (DG) IS CONTENT FOR US TO MAKE THE DECLARATIONS TO MATHUR

(OUR TELNO 189). WE HAVE AGREED WITH THE CHINESE TO ACT ON 23 APRIL, IF INSTRUCTED.

2. WE CONFIRM THAT, FOLLOWING RECEIPT OF THE DECLARATIONS, DG, GATT WILL SIMPLY NOTIFY CONTRACTING PARTIES (CPS) BY MEANS OF AN ''L DOCUMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH STANDARD PRACTICE. HOWEVER, IT IS CUSTOMARY FOR THE GATT SECRETARIAT TO ISSUE A PRESS RELEASE ON THE OCCASION OF NEW ACCESSIONS. THIS IS EXPECTED TO ISSUE LATE ON THE DAY AFTER THE DECLARATIONS, IN ORDER TO ENSURE PRIOR CIRCULATION OF

THE L DOCUMENTS.

3.

SINCE THE PRESS RELEASE WILL NOT CONSTITUTE A FORMAL ANOUNCEMENT, WE AGREE THAT THE HONG KONG PRESS RELEASE SHOULD BE AMENDED AS PROPOSED IN PARA 5 OF YOUR TUR.

4. THE CHINESE HAVE TOLD US THAT THE ARGENTINE AMBASSADOR RAISED

THREE POINTS OF CONCERN:

(44)

A POSSIBLE LINKAGE BETWEEN HONG KONG AND THE FALKLANDS., (11) THE FORMULA USED FOR HONG KONG MIGHT SET A BAD PRECENDENT FOR

THE FALKLANDS.,

(144)

DOUBTS ABOUT THE AUTOMATICITY OF ARTICLE XXVII (5)(C).

THE CHINESE AMASSADOR REPLIED TO THE FIRST TWO POINTS THAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES WERE ENTIRELY DIFFERENT AND NO COMPARISONS COULD BE DRAWN. HE HAD NOT BOTHERED TO REFUTE THE THIRD POINT WHICH HE HAD EXPLAINED AT LENGTH IN HIS PRESENTATION.

5. THE ARGENTINE AMBASSADOR, WHO IS A RECENT ARRIVAL, PREFACED HIS REMARKS BY SAYING THEY WERE A ''PERSONAL REACTION''. CARTLAND HAD PREVIOUSLY HAD AN AMICABLE DISCUSSION WITH DUMONT (ARGENTINE COUNSELLOR) WHO APPEARED TO ACCEPT THE PROPOSED ACTION WITHOUT

DIFFICULTY.

SANKEY

HONG KONG AGREEMENT : RESTRICTED

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

COPIES TO:

REPEATED AS REQUESTED

MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS

RESEARCH D (FE)

DEP/HD PUSD PS/MR RENTON MR WILSON

H)/ACD(E)

CONFIDENTIAL

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