CONFIDENTIAL
CYPHER/CAT A
PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUBER 782.
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
4 CCTOBER 1969
S
CONFIDENTIAL
NEUTRAL
1400 401
ADDRESSED F C O TELNO 782 OF 4 OCTOBER R FI OSLO.
YOUR TELEGRAM 662.
NORWEGIAN TEXTILE NEGOTIATIONS.
LAST
REF.
9
NXT
RIF.
YOUR PARA. 1. I REFER YOU TO MY TELEGRAMS 673 AND 771 IN WHICH
I COMMENTED ON THESE SPECIFIC POINTS.
|x
para 3. of
2. YOUR PARAGRAPH 3. I UNDERSTAND THAT AT THE CONCLUSION OF
THE NEGOTIATIONS IN OSLO THE UK REPRESENTATIVE, WITHOUT
CONSULTING THE LEADER OF THE DELEGATION, INFORMED THE
NORWEGIANS THAT THE AGREEMENT REACHED WAS AD REFERENDUM THE
BRITISH AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS. THE ACTION YOU NOW
SUGGEST WOULD THEREFORE REINFORCE THE MISTAKEN IMPRESSION WHICH
PAY HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO THE NORWEGIANS. FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW
THIS WOULD BE DAMAGING AS REFLECTING ON OUR AUTHORITY AND
IMPAIRING OUR NEGOTIATING POWER IN SUCH MATTERS. WHILE YOUR
SUPPORT IS OF COURSE OF HELP IN THE COURSE OF NEGOTIATIONS,
IT IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE THAT WE ALSO APPEAR TO HAVE FULL
AUTHORITY TO NEGOTIATE AND CONCLUDE AGREEMENTS.
(F C O PLS PASS TO OSLO)
SIR D. TRENCH
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED}
INTERNATIONAL TRADE DISTRIBUTION
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No.51 - 60CT 1969
HKK6/394/1
43
HONG KONG DEFT.
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CONFIDENTIAL