CONFIDENTIAL
CYPHER/CAT A
PRIORITY UKDEL EC BRUSSELS
TELEGRAM NO.239
CONFIDENTIAL
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
5 NOVEMBER 1969
32
NEUTRAL]
E.E.C. COMMON COMMERCIAL POLICY nam HONG KONG.
། .
I DISCUSSED THIS QUESTION WITH ROBINSON DURING HIS VISIT
YESTERDAY. GOLDSMITH'S LETTER TO HANNAY OF 22 OCTOBER, CHRISTOFAS
LETTER TO GOLDSMITH OF 24 OCTOBER AND CARTER'S LETTER TO DUNNETT
HKK 6/24 OF 39 OCTOBER REFER.
2. 1 WELCOME THE IDEA OF INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN BOARD
OF TRADE OFFICIALS AND OFFICIALS OF THE COMMISSION ON MATTERS
SUCH AS HONG KONG, COTTON TEXTILES AND UNCTAD PREFERENCES, AS A
MATTER OF GENERAL PRINCIPLE I THINK THAT THERE IS A LOT TO BE
SAID FOR ALTERNATING THESE BETWEEN LONDON AND BRUSSELS AND I
KNOW THAT MANY COMMISSION OFFICIALS WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PAY OCCASIONAL RETURN VISITS TO LONDON. WE RECENTLY HAD A MOST
USEFUL VISIT FROM PRESTOM AND CAREY: AND IT IS REALLY NOW OUR
TURN TO INVITE THE APPROPRIATE COMMISSION OFFICIALS TO HAVE THE
NEXT ROUND OF TALKS WITH US IN LONDON.
3. AS YOU KNOW WELLENSTEIN AND ERNST WILL IN ANY CASE BE IN LONDON ON 1 DECEMBER FOR A MEETING OF THE AD HOC GROUP ON
WORLD STEEL PROBLEMS OF THE COUNCIL OF ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE
U.K. AND THE E.C.S.C. ERNST HAS ALREADY INTIMATED THAT HE WOULD
WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY OF STAYING IN LONDON FOR DISCUSSIONS ON 2 DECEMBER ON HONG KONG. ALTHOUGH WELLENSTEIN AT PRESENT INTENDS TO RETURN TO BRUSSELS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE STEEL MEETING, IT OUGHT TO BE POSSIBLE FOR HONG KONG AND COTTON TEXTILES TO BE COVERED ON THAT OCCASION: AND IT WOULD BE EASY ENOUGH TO INVITE THE OTHER COMMISSION OFFICIAL CONCERNED TO VISIT LONDON AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME IF IT WERE DESIRED TO EXTEND THE TALKS
TO COVER UNCTAD PREFERENCES.
LAST
REF.
NEXT.
REF.
28
(34)
CONFIDENTIAL
/.......