OVA/10/8/1
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16 April
9
UNCTAD: Tariff Preferences
Further to Kemmis' letter to you of 26 March on the above subject, I have been told by Goldsmith that Tran has told him that he has been given specific responsibility by di Martine for producing a solution to the Hong Kong problem.
2. As you can imagine, both the Hong Kong Government and myself have been following with close attention the very useful bits of information you have been able to obtain, particularly from Tran, over the last few months. We have now got a pretty clear general picture of what is in the minds of Tran and those who think like him in the Commission. But there are a number of lacunae in points of detail and the administrative feasibility of certain of the ideas being propagated by Tran probably needs further examination.
3. This has led me to think and Goldsmith endorses this idea - that it would be useful if I could be given an opportunity to see Tran (and any other officials of the Commission if he thinks this useful) to examine certain points of detail and perhaps help those concerned to formulate their ideas more precisely. I knew that Tran told Goldsmith that, apart from certain points which he asked that Hughes should make in Brussels - and which I see were made, there was nothing that could be usefully done outside the Commission to help them find the night solution. I knew also that Tran has been anxious that the Commission in general should not know formally that he has been having discussions with us. Nevertheless, I do think that it would be helpful to both sides if we could have informal talks without commitment and that this may help the Commission eventually to put forward proposals which would not be unacceptable from our side while taking care of the interests of the Community as they see them. It could also help to ensure that any proposals would be administratively workable.
This
4. I enclose a piece of paper which sets out some of the difficulties and lack of clarity in Tran's ideas as they stand at the moment. may give you some idea of what is in our minds. I do not sugges t that if you were to approach Tran with the suggestion of an informal
t-together you need deploy all these points. Indeed, it might not be helpful to do so at this stage. But I was wondering whether you could approach him with the above suggestion. I would be at his disposal to see him at his convenience. If he wished I could come to
/Brussels
D.I.A. Hannay, Esq.
U.K. Delegation to the European Communities,
26, rue Joseph II,
Brussels 4.
CONFIDENTIAL