ZCZC
MILNAN 4611 OCMIAN 4611
CONFIDENTIAL
DD 21190OZ WASHI
FM FCOLN TO WASHI
211800Z MAR
GRS 264
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CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 211900Z WASHINGTON
TELNO 514
CONFIDENTIAL
2.
24611
нин обик
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
2 4 MAR 1936
y
DESK FFICER INDEX
REGISTRY
.PA
Action Taken
OF 211800Z MARCH 86
INFO IMMEDIATE UKREP BRUSSELS, UKMIS GENEVA, HONG KONG, PEKING
109
WASHINGTON TELNO 675 (SIC) AND HONG KONG TELNO 877: HONG
KONG/GATT
1. WE TOO ARE DISTURBED BY SMITH'S COMMENTS ON THE LIKELY US
ATTITUDE TO HONG KONG'S SEPARATE CONTRACTING PARTY STATUS AFTER
1997. WE MUST MAKE IT CLEAR TO THE AMERICANS THAT ANY PUBLIC
EXPRESSION OF DOUBT ON THIS POINT WOULD BE EXTREMELY DAMAGING: WE
NEED AT THE LEAST THEIR ACQUIESCENCE. WE LEAVE IT TO YOU, ΤΟ
JUDGE WHETHER IT WOULD BE BETTER TO GO BACK TO SMITH
IMMEDIATELY OR WHETHER TO AWAIT THE COMPREHENSIVE BRIEFING
EXERCISE CURRENTLY UNDER DISCUSSION WITH THE CHINESE.
2.
FOR PEKING. IN THE LIGHT OF THE US REACTION REPORTED IN
FIRST TUR HONG KONG HAVE SUGGESTED IN SECOND TUR (NOT COPIED TO
YOU) THAT THE WORDS 'AND SUPPORT' BE DELETED FROM THE FIRST
SENTENCE OF PARA 11 OF THE DRAFT INSTRUCTIONS IN HONG KONG TELNO
774. WE AGREE THAT THIS SEEMS ADVISABLE IN VIEW OF SMITH'S
COMMENT THAT IF WE DID PRESS FOR A POSITIVE REACTION ON THE
CHINESE DECLARATION THE US GOVERNMENT MIGHT WELL FEEL COMPELLED
TO RESERVE THEIR RIGHTS. WE WOULD NOT WISH TO RUN INTO SIMILAR
DIFFICULTIES WITH OTHER GOVERNMENTS BY ACTIVELY SEEKING THEIR
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