PERSONAL & CONFIDENTIAL
K. 271
P.B. pleass.
Mr. Muway
J
Euten
Desp
59.
18/9
5 September, 1969. 117
106
You will by now have seen F.C.0. telegram No. 590 reporting the outcome of Jordan's visit to London. I am afraid that you may feel that since the outcome is in effect to get us back close to the position from which Jordan began his negotiations with the Canadians on 18 August we have simply squandered three weeks of time and generated a great deal of heat! In addition we shall, of course, have made it that much more difficult for you to obtain the concessions which you will be seeking. At the same time, despite these negative points we have, I think, been able to put across to the Board of Trade in the long series of conversations which we have had the reason why it is important for Hong Kong not to be treated as a minor dependent territory to whom orders can safely be given. It must have been very frustrating to you to have to follow the repetitive exchanges, which Jordan has no doubt reported, but I hope you will feel that the end result has been worth while. I had the impression from my short talk this morning with Jordan that he thought 80.
2. Perhaps the most encouraging feature from the point of view of the F.C.0. was that the discussions which we had with Jordan and his team on the broader aspects of trade policy for the future showed that we and you are both of one mind. I hope therefore that you will feel confident that we are faithfully representing your views throughout the #hitehall machinery. It would, however, have been constitutionally improper for Jordan to have attended the Cabinet Committee meeting at official level which took place this morning, but once I knew that our views were so closely in line and given that Jordan had had the opportunity to develop your views at some length both to us and to members of the Board of Trade I did not feel that it was worth pressing too hard that he should actually be permitted to attend (in any case i don't think that we should have succeeded). The outcome of the meeting, of which I have only had a summary account but which is being communicated to Jones and Sellers, seems fairly satisfactory.
3. I hope that the resumed Canadian negotiations will be swiftly and successfully brought to a close and that the Norwegian case will cause us no trouble. But those who have dealt with our Board of Trade colleagues in the past are by no means so sanguine! The principal obstacle is on leave for the next three
/weeks
His Excellency
Sir David Trench, 0.C.M.G., M.C.,
Government House,
Hong Xong.
PERSONAL & CONFIDENTIA