TNAG-1492-FCO40-2050-Future-of-Hong-Kong-General-Agreement-on-Tariffs-and-Trade-(-1986 — Page 243

OCMIAN 0261

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DD 170030Z PEKIN

FM FCOLN TO PEKIN

16170OZ APR

GRS 237

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TO DESKBY 170030Z PEKING

TELNO 305

OF 16170OZ APRIL 86

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA

HKR12211

RECEIVED IN HEGISTRY 1 8 APR 1986

DEFICER

PA

PEGISTRY Action Taken

FAB 18

1874

74)

173

87

YOUR TELNO 553, HONG KONG TELNOS 1120-1 AND UKMIS TELNO 176:

HONG KONG AND THE GATT

1.

(170)

YOU WILL SEE FROM UKMIS TUR THAT DUNKEL, GATT DIRECTOR

GENERAL, WILL BE ABSENT FROM GENEVA FROM 24 TO 30 APRIL

INCLUSIVE. WE BECAME AWARE OF THIS ONLY THIS MORNING. PLEASE

INFORM THE CHINESE OF THIS AND SAY THAT IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES 24

APRIL IS NO LONGER A SUITABLE DATE FOR THE DECLARATIONS TO BE

MADE. WE WOULD STILL FAVOUR 23 APRIL IF THIS IS ACCEPTABLE TO

THE CHINESE AND PROVIDED THEY WILL BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THEIR

BRIEFING EXERCISE (INCLUDING WE HOPE EC GOVERNMENTS IN CAPITALS)

BEFORE THAT DAY. (PLEASE NOTE THAT BECAUSE OF THE NEED FOR THE

CHINESE TO COMPLETE THIS WE DO NOT THINK 21 APRIL IS NOW A

REALISTIC POSSIBILITY AS SUGGESTED IN FIRST HONG KONG TUR.)

WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR THE CHINESE REACTION TO THIS

SUGGESTION. IF, FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE DECLARATIONS CANNOT BE

MADE ON 23 APRIL WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE THEM AFTER 30 APRIL. WE DO

NOT THINK THIS WOULD GREATLY MATTER BUT WOULD PREFER TO GO FOR

THE EARLIER DATE IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.

2.

WE WILL COMMENT ON THE PUBLICITY ASPECTS RAISED IN HONG

KONG TURS ON RECEIPT OF ADVICE THAT WE HAVE SOUGHT FROM UKMIS.

3.

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