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COMMONWEALTH OFFICE,
LONDON, S.W.1.
2 September, 1967.
Our Ref: HWB 6/2
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Tel. No. 839-7010 Ext. 308
Anglo Benelux Agreed Minute on Trade
We have no comment on the draft Agreed Minute attached to your letter CRE 41/1967 of 8 September other than to point out that item (c) of your notes is not strictly accurate Hong Kong is not responsible for its own external commercial relations. The Colony does enter into bilateral agreements, especially on textile exports, but, as we concluded over the telephone this constitutes a de facto exercise of commercial independence, not de jure.
That being so, there is no need to vary the reference to Dependent Overseas Territories in the preamble.
2. A copy of this letter goes to the recipients of yours.
(P. M. HEWITT)
P.M.S. Corley, Esq.,
Commercial Relations and Exports Department,
Board of Trade,
1, Victoria Street,
London, S.W.1.
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