COMMITTEE OF PRIL
COUNCIL
FROM THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY
BOARD OF TRADE
1 VICTORIA STREET
LONDON S.W.1
ABBEY 7877
(16
18th December 1968.
Dear Carter,
In Shaun Stewart's absence in Manchester I enclose our
draft reply to the despatch from the Governor of Hong Kong to
your Secretary of State about the outcome of the negotiations
on Hong Kong's exports of wide cotton sheeting and sheets to
the United Kingdom.
2.
I should add that we very much regret that it has taken
so long to produce this draft but it has required a good deal of
consideration here and I suggest that, if you wish to depart
significantly from the terms of the draft, it would be useful
if those concerned could meet to discuss the issues.
3. As you will see, we have not attempted to deal seriatim with
the points that the Governor made on the legal issues and the
interpretation of the cotton textiles arrangement. We have taken
the view that there seems little to be gained from attempting to
argue over these contentious issues and we hope that the enclosed
draft will be sufficient to meet the Governor's concern over the
primary issues.
Yours war,
Arkemmis.
0.H.Kemmis
W.S.Carter Esq., C..0., Foreign/Commonwealth Office, Downing Street, S.W.1.