CYPHER/CAT A
CONFIDENTIAL
16
IMMEDIATE PARIS TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
IMMEDIATE PARIS TELNO 2 TO HONG KONG 26 FEBRUARY, 1969
CONFIDENTIAL
[NEUTRAL]
ADDRESSED TO HONG KONG TELEGRAM NUMBER 2 OF 26 FEBRUARY 1969
AND TO BRUSSELS FOREIGN OFFICE HONG-KONG GOVERNMENT LONDON OFFICE,. AND UKMIS GENEVA
SHORTLY BEFORE RECEIPT OF YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 008 TO BRUSSELS (RFI PARIS) OF 25 FEBRUARY ABOUT THE FRENCH TRADE TALKS, WE RECEIVED WORD THAT COLLIN, ACCOMPANIED BY JOUTART OF THE MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY, WERE PLANNING TO ARRIVE IN HONG-KONG ON WEDNESDAY MORNING, MARCH 5, FOR TALKS IN THE AFTERNOON. THEY WERE PROPOSING TO STAY UNTIL THE EVENING OF THURSDAY MARCH 6.
2. 1 THERE FORE RECOMMEND THAT YOU RECONSIDER THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN IN PARAGRAPH 3 OF YOUR TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE. IF WE TELL THE FRENCH THAT WE WILL NOT BE READY TO SEE THEM BEFORE MARCH 17, IT COULD, GIVEN THE PRESENT POLITICAL CLIMATE, BE TAKEN AMISS AND THIS COULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE COURSE OF YOUR EVENTUAL NEGOTIATIONS. THE FRENCH! DID AFTER ALL GIVE US A GENERAL INDICATION, AS EARLY AS JANUARY 22, THAT THEY WOULD BE READY FOR TALKS BY THE END OF
FEBRUARY.
3.
THE POINTS MADE IN PARAGRAPH 2 OF YOUR TELEGRAM M52 OF 24 FEBRUARY WERE CONVEYED TO COLLIN YESTERDAY.
4.
WILCOX HAS AN APPOINTMENT WITH COLLIN THIS AFTERNOON AND PROPOSES TO INFORM HIM THAT YOU MAY NOT BE READY TO SEE HIM BEFORE 17 MARCH AND THAT WE ARE EXPECTING TO RECEIVE CONFIRMATION FROM YOU WITHIN THE NEXT FEW HOURS.
1
FCO PASS BRUSSELS HONG-KONG GOVERNMENT LONDON OFFICE AND UKMIS GENEVA, AND GOVERNOR HONG KONG.
MR. SOAMES
[COPIES SENT TO HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE, LONDON
BY COMMUNICATIONS DEPT. A.D.R.]
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]
INTERNATIONAL TRADE DISTRIBUTION
TRADE POLICY DEPT
HONG KONG DEPT
ADVANCE COPIES SENT
LAST
REF
NEXG
R.F.
16
19
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No.31
-4 MAR 1969
MKKG/N/1