TNAG-1492-FCO40-2050-Future-of-Hong-Kong-General-Agreement-on-Tariffs-and-Trade-(-1986 — Page 78

GRS 250

UNCLASSIFIED

FM PEKING

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 652

OF 251CQ2Z APRIL 86

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA

INFO ROUTINE THE HAGUE

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: ASAS AND GATT: PRESS REPORTS

YOP

i

1. THE OVERSEAS PEOPLE'S DAILY OF 20 APRIL REPORTS THE HONG KONG

GOVERNMENT PRESS COMMUNIQUE ON THE INITIALLING OF A HONG

KONG/NETHERLANDS AIR SERVICES AGGREEMENT. THE REPORT REPRODUCES THE

TEXT OF THE COMMUNIQUE AND COMMENTS BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT

SPOKESMAN TO THE EFFECT THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST BILATERAL ASA TO BE

CONCLUDED BY HONG KONG, UNDER AUTHORITY FROM THE UK. THE ARTICLE CONTINUED "THE AUTHORITIES'' WOULD BE MAKING TOTHER SIMILAR ARRANGEMENTS BEFORE 1997 SO THAT BY 1997 HONG KONG WOULD, IN THE FIELD OF ASAS, BE IN A SIMILAR SITUATION TO THAT PROVIDED FOR IN THE

JOINT DECLARATION FOR THE FUTURE HONG KONG SAR.

2. THE OVERSEAS PEOPLE'S DAILY, CHINA DAILY AND THE NCNA BULLETIN OF 25 APRIL CARRY A GENEVA NCNA REPORT OF THE GATT SECRETARIAT PRESS

COMMUNIQUE OF 24 APRIL TO THE EFFECT THAT FROM 23 APRIL HONG KONG

BECAME THE 91ST CONTRACTING PARTY TO GATT. THIS STATUS HAD BEEN CONFIRMED BY A STATEMENT ON 23 APRIL TO THE GATT SECRETARIAT FROM THE UK GOVERNMENT, WHO HAD REPRESENTED HONG KONG IN THE GATT SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN 1948. THE REPORT ADDED THAT A PRC STATEMENT OF

23 APRIL SUBMITTED TO THE GATT SECRETARIAT BY THE CHINESE PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE UN OFFICE IN GENEVA SAID THAT, UNDER THE JOINT DECLARATION, CHINA WOULD RESUME SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG FROM 1

JULY 1997. THE FUTURE HONG KONG SAR WOULD CONTINUE ITS STATUS AS A

CONTRACTING PARTY TO THE GATT USING THE NAME HONG KONG CHINA**

WITH EFFECT FROM 1 JULY 1997.

EVANS

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

HD/PLANNING STAFF -

DEP HD/PUSD

HD/PUSD

RD (MR WALKER)

COPIES TO:- MR ROBERTS

MR FIFOOT

MR WOOD

MR PEIRCE

NEWS DEPT

LEGAL ADVISERS

LEGAL ADVISERS

ASSESSMENTS STAFF

MR MALLABY CABINET OFFICE

MR DRC CHRISTOPHER

CABINET OFFICI

CABINET OFFICE

SIR P CRADOCK NO 10 DOWNING STREET

PS

PS/LADY YOUNG

PS/MR RENTON

PS/PUS

SIR W HARD ING

SIR J FREELAND

MR WILSON

MR CROWLEY

AKK12211

RC

PUSD

29 APR 1986

зводи

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