CONFIDENTIAL
CYPHER/CAT A
HONG KONG TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO.117 TO WASHINGTON
CONFIDENTIAL
[NEUTRAL]
TOP COPY
4 DECEMBER 1968
на
ADDRESSED WASHINGTON AS MYTEL 117°F 4TH DECEMBER (FCO PLEASE PASS)
FOR HERMANN, OUR TELEGRAM 114T GLOVES,
THE PRESENT POSITION IN REGARD TO CATEGORY 39 IS AS FOLLOWS:
(A) CONSULTATION LEVEL:
(B) SHIPMENTS TO DATE:
343.00 Doz.
139.852 DOZ.
(C) UNSHIPPED BALANCE OF EXPORT AUTHORISATIONS ISSUED: 293,148 DOZ
(D) (B) PLUS (C); 343.000 DOZ.
(E) OUTSTANDING EXPORT AUTHORISATION APPLICATIONS:
166,774 DOZ.
2. IT IS REGRETTED THAT INADVERTENTLY EXPORT AUTHORISATIONS
WERE ISSUED UP TO THE CONSULTATION LEVEL AND THE AMERICAN CONSULATE
GENERAL WAS INFORMED WITHOUT IMPLICATIONS FOR UNFINISHED CONSULT-
ATIONS BEING NOTED, CONSULATE HAS NOW BEEN ADVISED THAT THIS
WAS NOT INTENDED TO PRE-EMPT THE UNRESOLVED ISSUE OF QUOTE
OVERSHIPMENTS UNQUOTE IN 1957/68 SEMI COLON AND THAT FULL
EXPLANATION WOULD BE GIVEN TO YOU.
3. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT BY THE LETTER OF THE AGREEMENT
WE WERE WITHIN OUR RIGHTS IN VIEW OF THE DELAYED AMERICAN
ANSWER TO YOUR LETTER OF 7TH NOVEMBER SEMI COLON BUT PLEASE
ASSURE THEM FIRMLY THAT WE ADOPT NO SUCH ATTITUDE. WE ARE
NEVERTHELESS CONCERNED AT THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE PRESENT
SITUATION FOR OUR TRADE NEXT SUMMER. IT SEENS CLEAR THAT THE
LONG DELAYED U.S. ACTION AGAINST TAIWAN HAS DIVERTED DEMAND
TO HONG KONG, WITH THE RESULT THAT OUR TRADE WILL HAVE A BOON
PERIOD FOLLOWED MOST LIKELY BY COMPLETE DISLOCATION FOR SEVERAL
MONTHS.
LAST
REF.
heyt
REF.
/ 4. IN VIEW
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No.31 -5DEC 1968
HKR6/304/1
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