TNAG-1492-FCO40-2050-Future-of-Hong-Kong-General-Agreement-on-Tariffs-and-Trade-(-1986 — Page 224

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AMENDMENT SUGGESTED IN PARA 3 OF UKMIS TUR (WE HAVE SEEN HONG KONG

TELNO 1140 BUT STILL PREFER UKMIS' VERSION) AND AMENDMENTS (A),

(B) AND (C) IN PARA 2 OF SECOND PEKING TUR. WE SEE NO NEED TO MAKE THE AMENDMENT IN (D), AS THE LANGUAGE IN PARA 6 OF THE

STATEMENT IS ALREADY CONSISTENT WITH THE DECLARATIONS.

3.

WE DO NOT AGREE THAT THE CHINESE NEED TO BE CONSULTED

ONLY IF THE TWO DECLARATIONS ARE PUBLISHED BEFORE CIRCULATION OF

THEM IN THE GATT (PARA 5 OF HONG KONG TUR). THE EXERCISE HAS ALL ALONG BEEN A JOINT ONE, CARRIED OUT IN CLOSE CO-ORDINATION. WE

BELIEVE WE SHOULD AS A COURTESY INFORM (REPEAT INFORM) THE

CHINESE IN ADVANCE OF ANY PRESS STATEMENT WE MAKE. THIS APPLIES

EQUALLY TO A STATEMENT TO BE MADE IN LEGCO.

4.

ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT HONG KONG WISH TO HAVE BOTH A

PRESS RELEASE AND A STATEMENT IN LEGCO, GRATEFUL IF THEY WOULD

TELEGRAPH THE FULL AMENDED TEXTS OF BOTH STATEMENTS. PEKING

SHOULD THEN, ON RECEIPT OF A FINAL INSTRUCTION FROM US, INFORM THE CHINESE THAT IN VIEW OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SUBJECT AND THE

INTEREST IT GENERATES IN HONG KONG WE INTEND TO ISSUE THE PRESS

RELEASE THE DAY AFTER THE DECLARATIONS ARE MADE (MAKING IT CLEAR

THAT WE CONSIDER THIS APPROPRIATE IN VIEW OF THE ARRANGEMENTS THE

GATT SECRETARIAT ARE MAKING FOR CIRCULATION OF THE DECLARATIONS)

AND TO MAKE THE STATEMENT IN LEGCO ON 30 APRIL. THEY SHOULD HAND

OVER COPIES OF BOTH AS A COURTESY AND ADD THAT WE WOULD OF COURSE

HAVE NO OBJECTION IF THE CHINESE WISHED TO RELEASE A STATEMENT IN

PEKING. WE HOPE THAT THEY WOULD, IN THAT EVENT, SHOW US THE TEXT

IN ADVANCE.

5.

WE TAKE THE POINT IN SECOND PEKING TUR THAT THE CHINESE

MIGHT WANT A STATEMENT TO BE MADE IN BOTH LONDON AND HONG KONG.

HOWEVER WE SEE NO NEED TO COME FORWARD WITH SUCH A SUGGESTION.

IF IT IS APPARENT THAT THAT IS WHAT THEY WANT OR EXPECT WE CAN

CERTAINLY MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR A STATEMENT TO BE MADE HERE AS

WELL.

HOWE

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: RESTRICTED

LIMITED

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COPIES TO:

MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS

MR WILSON

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