TNAG-1492-FCO40-2050-Future-of-Hong-Kong-General-Agreement-on-Tariffs-and-Trade-(-1986 — Page 263

CONFIDENTIAL

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ORGANISATION: SUCH PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES AS WE ACCORD ARE

GIVEN TO THE 'INTERIM COMMISSION FOR THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE

ORGANISATION' WHICH PROVIDES THE SECRETARIAT FOR THE GATT.) A

FURTHER AND WIDER CONSIDERATION, WHICH LEADS BACK TO (A) ABOVE,

IS THE VIEW WHICH THE CHINESE WOULD TAKE OF THE GRANTING OF

PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES TO A HONG KONG OFFICE IN CIRCUMSTANCES

WHICH DID NOT ULTIMATELY RELATE TO BRITISH SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG

KONG (AND CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE HONG KONG SAR).

6.

IN SHORT, WE ARE NOT CERTAIN THAT ALL THE ISSUES RAISED

BY YOUR TUR HAVE YET BEEN FULLY THOUGHT THROUGH. THERE WOULD BE

RISKS ATTACHED TO TAKING PRECIPITATE ACTION WHEN OUR OVERALL

THE ARGUMENTS FOR IMMEDIATE

WE WONDER WHETHER YOU MAY

OBJECTIVES HAVE NOT BEEN MAPPED OUT.

ACTION DO NOT SEEM TO BE COMPELLING.

NOT WISH FIRST TO UNDERTAKE A MORE GENERAL EXAMINATION OF THE

PROBLEM. THERE WOULD EVEN BE A CASE FOR SETTING THIS IN THE

WIDER CONTEXT OF THE STATUS OF OTHER HONG KONG OFFICES ABROAD

SINCE IN SOME CASES COMPARABLE FACTORS WILL BE PRESENT. IT WOULD

ALSO BE HELPFUL TO HAVE PEKING'S VIEWS.

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

MD/ECD (E)

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Confidential

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