OCMIAN 7891
CONFIDENTIAL
00 HOKON
FM FCOLN TO GEMIS
191550Z MAY
GRS 367
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA
TELNO 192
OF 191550Z MAY 86
CONFIDENTIAL
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, HONG KONG
HKCK 122/1
SCEIVED IN
DE INDEX
TOP COPY
B42)
20 MAY 1986
किं
37891
1
334
HONG KONG AND GATT
MONTGOMERY'S LETTER OF 5 MAY TO HUM:
1.
IT IS ENCOURAGING THAT THE AMERICANS APPARENTLY NO LONGER
HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH HONG KONG'S SEPARATE CONTRACTING PARTY
STATUS IN THE GATT.
2.
WE AGREE THAT IT WOULD BE WISE TO HAVE AN AGREED
CONTINGENCY LINE TO BE USED IF THE UK HAS TO GIVE ANY EXPLANATION
OF THE POSITION AT THE GATT COUNCIL MEETING ON 22 MAY. WHERE
QUESTIONS REGARDING GATT PRACTICE ARE CONCERNED, WE AGREE THAT IT
WOULD BE FOR THE SECRETARIAT RATHER THAN THE UK TO RESPOND. IF
IT SHOULD BE NECESSARY FOR US TO SPEAK ON HONG KONG'E COMMERCIAL
AUTONOMY WE SUGGEST, SUBJECT TO HONG KONG'S VIEWS, THAT YOU TAKE
THE FOLLOWING LINE:
'THE DECLARATION MADE TO THE GATT SECRETARIAT BY THE
UNITED KINGDOM ON 23 APRIL CONSTITUTES FORMAL PUBLIC CONFIRMATION
OF HONG KONG'S AUTONOMY IN EXTERNAL COMMERCIAL RELATIONS.'
3.
IF YOU COME UNDER FURTHER PRESSURE AND YOU BELIEVE IT
WOULD BE HELPFUL, WE WOULD HAVE NO OBJECTION TO YOUR INFORMING
THE COUNCIL THAT FULL AUTONOMY IN THIS FIELD HAS BEEN CONFERRED
ON HONG KONG BY HMG BY MEANS OF A FORMAL INSTRUMENT OF
ENTRUSTMENT. YOU SHOULD ADD THAT THIS, HOWEVER, MERELY CONFIRMED
1
CONFIDENTIAL
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