CYPHER CAT A
IMMEDIATE BRUSSELS
ΤΟ
CONFIDENTIAL
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
IMMEDIATE BRUSSELS TELNO. 17 TO HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
[NEUTRAL]
15 JUNE 1970
ADDRESSED TO GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO. RFI ROUTINE TO FCO, PARIS, THE HAGUE, ROME BONN, AND UKDEL E E C.
FROM DODGE.
COTTON TEXTILES
HK/EEC.
17 OF 15 JUNE 1973 UKMIS GENEVA,
HANNAY OF THE UK DELEGATION HAS ADVISED ME THAT ERNST TELEPHONED HIM TODAY TO ASCERTAIN THE APPROPRIATE RECIPIENT OF THE E E C'S FORMAL REQUEST FOR ARTICLE 4 NEGOTIATIONS WITH HONG KONG. HANNAY WAS UNABLE TO REPLY TO ERNST DIRECTLY AND CONSULTED LONDON. HE WAS ADVISED THAT AS THE COMMISSION'S APPROACH WAS IN RESPECT OF THE C T A IT SHOULD BE MADE SOLELY TO ME AS THE LOCAL REPRESENT- -ATIVE OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, 1.E. NOT TO THE U K DELEGATION NOR ON A JOINT BASIS, IN VIEW OF OUR INDEPENDENT NEGOTIATING POSITION UNDER THE C T A.
2. I BELIEVE THAT ERNST WILL BE LEAVING BRUSSELS VERY SHORTLY PRESUMABLY FOR TOKYO, AND I ANTICIPATE THAT HE MAY SEND FOR ME LATER TODAY OR EARLY TOMORROW TO HAND ME THE E E C'S FORMAL REQUEST, WHICH, HANNAY GATHERED, MENTIONS FORMAL NEGOTIATIONS IN JULY AND CONTAINS FIGURES WHICH HE PRESUMED TO BE THE BASIS
OF AN OFFER.
FCO PLEASE PASS ROUTINE TO FCO, PARIS, THE HAGUE, ROME, UKMIS GENEVA AND BONN.
WE WILL PASS TO UKDEL E E C.
SIR J. BEITH
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO.51
INTERNATIONAL TRADE DISTRIBUTION
COMMODITIES DEFT
HONG KONG DEFT FAR EASTERN DEPT AMERICAN DEPT
CONFIDENTIAL
11KK6/6