TNAG-2625-FCO40-3816-Visit-by-Douglas-Hurd--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Co-1992 — Page 160

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106160

MDHIAN 573

EC/GATT 5.

CAN BE

THE EDITORIAL WONDERS IF YOU FELT THAT 'THE OUTRAGEOUS PROTECTIONIST POLICIES OF THE EC, AND ITS GROSS CULPABILITY IN HOLDING UP A SENSIBLE SETTLEMENT OF THE URUGUAY ROUND OBSCURED IF OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD ARE ALSO ENCOURAGED IN NEGATIVE REGIONALISM.'' THIS SUGGESTED THAT YOU HAD MORE URGENT MATTERS TO ATTEND TO CLOSER TO HOME THAN ''MAKING DIVISIVE AND UNHELPFUL SORTIES INTO THE ASIAN REGION.''

COMMENT

THE AUSTRALIAN MEDIA ARE OFTEN CRITICAL OF BRITISH GOVERNMENT POLICY ON HONG KONG AND THE GATT. BUT THIS EDITORIAL, FROM AUSTRALIA'S LEADING COUNTRY-WIDE NEWSPAPER, IS PARTICULARLY OFFENSIVE AND TENDENTIOUS. I SHOULD LIKE TO SEE AT THE LEAST THE HONG KONG CRITICISMS AUTHORITATIVELY PUT IN CONTEXT AND PREFERABLY ALSO THE REMARKS ABOUT THE GATT AND EAEC, HOWEVER BRIEFLY. WE TOOK ACTION TO GOOD EFFECT LAST YEAR WITH A SIGNED FEATURE ARTICLE BY SIR J COLES OVER A SIMILARLY TENDENTIOUS ARTICLE IN THE AGE (YOUR 1991 TELNO 494). ON THIS OCCASION, AN EARLY LETTER TO THE EDITOR (RATHER THAN A FEATURE ARTICLE) WOULD PROBABLY BE MORE APPROPRIATE. TO HAVE MAXIMUM IMPACT A REBUTTAL SHOULD PREFERABLY BE ASCRIBED TO A MINISTER OR SENIOR FCO OFFICIAL AND BE AVAILABLE WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.

BARDER

YYYY

DISTRIBUTION

84

MAIN

83

.HONG KONG AGREEMENT

NEWS D

.(RESTRICTED)

PLANNERS

HKD

RAD

SEAD

UND

SPD

PUSD

FED//HD

LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT

.AND MS BROOKS

ADDITIONAL

1.

CAOFF//MS D CORNER

PS

PS/MR GOODLAD SIR J COLES

MR HUM

MR MASEFIELD

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