TNAG-1493-FCO40-2051-Future-of-Hong-Kong-General-Agreement-on-Tariffs-and-Trade-(-1986 — Page 183

OCMIAN 3117

CONFIDENTIAL

PP TOKYO

PP PEKIN

FM FCOLN TO TOKYO

28113ÜZ APR

GFS 173

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

CONFIDENTIAL

HEL 100

L

RECEIVED !1!

20 MAY 1986

TO PRIORITY TOKYO

TELNO 342

OF 281130Z APRIL 86

INFO PRIOFITY HONG KONG, PEKING, UKMIS GENEVA

C

PA

333

33117 1

-

YOUR TELNO 469: HONG KONG AND THE GATT: BRIEFING OF CONTRACTING

PARTIES

1.

WE IMAGINE YOU HAVE ALREADY TOLD THE JAPANESE THAT THE UK

DECLARATION TO THE GATT WAS FORMAL PUBLIC CONFIPMATION OF HONG

KONG'S AUTONOMY IN EXTERNAL COMMERCIAL PELATIONS (PARAGRAPH 10 OF

OUR TELNO 170 TO CANBERRA). SUBJECT TO HONG KONG'S VIEWS, YOU

MAY, IF YOU JUDGE IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, FURTHER INFORM THEM IN

CONFIDENCE THAT FULL AUTONOMY IN THIS FIELD HAS BEEN CONFERRED ON

HONG KONG BY HMG THROUGH A FORMAL INSTRUMENT OF ENTRUSTMENT.

THIS MERELY CONFIRMED A DE FACTO SITUATION THAT HAD ALREADY

EXISTED FOR SOME TIME.

2.

IF THE JAPANESE ASK TO SEE THE INSTRUMENT OF ENTRUSTMENT

YOU SHOULD SEEK INSTRUCTIONS. STRICTLY FOR YOUR OWN INFORMATION,

IT WAS DRAFTED IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT COULD BE SHOWN TO THE

CHINESE, THE GATT OF HONG KONG'S TRADE PARTNERS IF NECESSAPY:

BUT WE HAVE NOT SO FAR HAD TO MAKE SUCH USE OF IT.

HOWE

HONG KONG AGREEMENT : RESTRICTED

LIVITED

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

Confidential