TNAG-1493-FCO40-2051-Future-of-Hong-Kong-General-Agreement-on-Tariffs-and-Trade-(-1986 — Page 64

Hkk 122/1

RECEIVED

30 JUN 1986

MSK

*NTEX

UNDER "OTHER

Mr.

Chaizman,

407

It will be recalled thai

meeting held On 22 MAY 1995

hav

made

statement concerning Hong Kong's status as

15: accordance with the Procedur

party

XXVI;5(c) and, while reserving

regard, stated our Intentior. 10

at a future meeting.

Mr. Chairman, our authorities

THIS

t this mauler

are of the view

2.

that

while

recognise Rong We

Kong

as

contracti 2.

ting

party LC GATT 10 view of the declaration by tha

status

Government of the United Kingdom, (contained in document

L/5986 dated 24 April 1986), we find 11 difficult to

accept the

of Hong Kong as A contracting party

with effect from July 1997 on the basis of the

communication from the People's Republic of China

contained in document L/5987 dated AT211 24, 1986. This

is not only because China is not a contracting party to

GATT today but also because the exact status of Hong

Kong under the General Agreement when the People's

Republic of China

of China resumes sovereignty over it in

1997

is

not clear.

We,

therefore, roserve

the

regarding

party to GATT from i July 1997.

status of Hong Kong as

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

B

Our

position

contracting