CYPHER/CAT A
CONFIDENTIAL
ROUTINE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELEGRAM NO. 780
HONG KONG
20
TO GOV.
11 DECEMBER 1969 (HKK 6/19 HONG KONG)
TOP COPY
CONFIDENTIAL
FOR GOVERNOR.
CONDUCT OF COMMERCIAL RELATIONS.
YOUR TELEGRAM 901 WAS CONSIDERED AT FCO INTERNAL MEETING WITH
TRENCH WHO HAS CONCURRED IN THE FOLLOWING REPLY.
2. YOUR SIX POINTS WERE TAKEN BUT WE HAVE DECIDED AGAINST MAKING THOSE IN YOUR PARAGRAPHS (A) AND (E).
3. IN THE CASE OF (A), WE THOUGHT THAT ON THE WHOLE IT WOULD
BE WISER NOT TO ATTEMPT TO REPRESENT THE CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION AS OTHER THAN IT ACTUALLY IS, BUT TRENCH WILL RAISE FURTHER WITH YOU ON RETURN.
4. IN THE CASE OF (E) WE SEE THE SAME DIFFICULTY IN THE WAY OF RETAINING (A) AND (B) OF THE PARAGRAPH CMITTED.
5. YOUR REMAINING POINTS HAVE BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN VARYING DEGREES, AS FOLLOWS:
(1) YOUR PARAGRAPH (B): DELETE ''AS APPROPRIATE AND IN PARAGRAPH 4. SUBSTITUTE COLON FOR FULL STOP AT END OF PARAGRAPH AND ADD ''PROVIDED THAT SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES (E.G. WHERE THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS FORMALLY REPRESENTED BY HMG) DO NOT REQUIRE OTHER ARRANGEMENTS.''
(11) YOUR PARAGRAPH (C): INSERT A NEW PARAGRAPH BETWEEN PARAGRAPHS 7 AND 8 AS FOLLOWS: ''HMG AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT RECOGNISE THAT POLICY DECISIONS HAVE OFTEN TO BE TAKEN AS A MATTER OF URGENCY AND THAT SPEED OF REACTION IN CONSULTATION IS OFTEN OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE''
(111) YOUR PARAGRAPH (D): ADD AT THE END OF PARAGRAPH 3: ''THE VENUE OF SUCH NEGOTIATIONS SHALL BE A MATTER FOR DECISION BETWEEN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND ANY THIRD PARTY.**
(1V) YOUR PARAGRAPH (F): ADD AT THE END OF PARAGRAPH 1: "AND WITH
CONFIDENTIAL
/FULL REGARD
LAST REF.
28
REF.