CYPHER/CAT A
RESTRICTED
UK MISSION GENEVA TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
UK MISSION GENEVA TEL. NO. 8 TO HONG KONG 12 FEBRUARY 1970
RESTRICTED
ADDRESSED TO HONG KONG TELEGRAM NUMBER 8 OF FEBRUARY 12 R FI
F C O UKDEL BRUSSELS AND BRUSSELS.
YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER 3: VISIT OF E E C OFFICIALS.
FROM JONES
par
RAVENNA, ERNST'S ASSISTANT HAS NOW TELEPHONED ME TO REPLY TO LETTER I WROTE TO ERNST ON THE LINES OF YOUR TELEGRAM. HE SAID THAT, ALTHOUGH THE INVITATION WAS MUCH APPRECIATED, DEN I AU
AND WELLENSTEIN COULD NOT ACCEPT BECAUSE OF A VERY TIGHT SCHEDULE WHICH COULD NOT BE CHANGED (I KNOW DENIAU IS EXPECTED IN GENEVA ON 25 FEBRUARY FOR LATTER PART OF GATT SESSION). HE ADDED THAT ERNST WOULD DO HIS BEST TO STOP OVER IN HONG KONG ''FOR A FEW HOURS' AND WOULD GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU BY TELEX
FROM TOKYO.
2. 1 EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTMENT IF ERNST COULD ONLY STAY FOR
A FEW HOURS AND URGED THAT HE AT LEAST TRY TO MAKE IT AN OVER-
NIGHT STOP AND A DAY'S STAY. RAVENNA TOOK THE POINT BUT AS ERNST HAD BY THEN LEFT FOR TOKYO HE COULD ONLY SUGGEST YOU
CONTACT HIM THERE AT HOTEL OKURA.
3. ON COTTON TEXTILES RAVENNA SAID COMMISSION WERE GRATEFUL FOR HONG KONG EXPORT FIGURES WHICH I HAD SUPPLIED. THEY WERE TAKING THESE INTO ACCOUNT IN THEIR FURTHER WORK. HE DID NOT THINK THEY WOULD BE READY FOR NEXT ROUND OF TALKS WITH US
BEFORE WEEK BEGINNING 23 MARCH.
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4. IN VIEW OF THIS AND DISTURBING IMPLICATIONS IN UKDEL BRUSSELS
TELEGRAM NUMBER 46 TO FC O IT SEEMS DESIRABLE THAT YOU SHOULD
TRY TO TACKLE ERNST GENERALLY AND PRIME HIM WITH MORE
DETAILED FIGURES BEFORE HE RETURNS TO EUROPE.
F C O PASS HONG KONG AND UKDEL BRUSSELS BRUSSELS.
SIR E MELVILLE,
FILES:
H.K.D.
E.I.D.
DDDDD
RIE
RECISTRY IN →.
Tore 1970
REPEATED AS REQUESTED
Lust
12
RESTRICTED
аккоо