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PRIORITY COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TO HONG KONG (D.T.D.)
TELNO. 1841
6 SEPTEMBER 1967 (HONG KONG)
58
CONFIDENTIAL.
FOLLOWING TELEGRAM FROM CLAGUE TO LORD SHEPHERD WAS RECEIVED IN
THIS OFFICE ON 21 AUGUST:-
BEGINS.
CAN YOU POSSIBLY ASSIST IN OBTAINING HELPFUL DECISION FROM E. C. G.D. ON TUNNEL. FROM U.K. POINT OF VIEW EIGHT MILLION POUNDS ADDITIONAL BRITISH EXPORTS TOGETHER WITH INVISIBLE FREIGHT INSURANCE INTEREST ETC IN BALANCE. HONG KONG ALREADY ABSORBING ONE PER CENT U.K. EXPORTS WHICH MUST DECLINE IF CONFIDENCE NOT RESTORED QUICKLY BY ANNOUNCMENT LONG TERM ECONOMIC PROJECTS AS EXPLAINED BY RHODES. POLITICALLY BELIEVE JOINT U.K. ECONOMIC SUPPORT NOT (REPEAT NOT) AID MORE THAN JUSTIFIED IN MUTUAL INTERESTS. IN VIEW OF IMPORTANCE
AS LAST RESORT DO YOU RECOMMEND PERSONAL APPROACH PRIME MINISTER.
ENDS.
2. WOULD YOU PLEASE CONVEY TO CLAGUE OUR APOLOGIES THAT, IN LORD SHEPHERD'S ABSENCE, IT HAS NOT BEEN POSSIBLE TO SEND HIM A REPLY AND EXPLAIN THAT, FROM THE PROPOSALS TO BE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, HE WILL KNOW THAT WE ARE TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM.
HL
77777
SENT 14492 6 SEPTEMBER
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