CONFIDENTIAL
CYPHER CAT A
R.SISTRY No. 51
16
PRIORITY HONG KONG TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE -6FB1970-
TELNO 90
CONFIDENTIAL
NEUTRAL
5 FEBRUARY 1970
ADDRESSED TO FCO TELNO 90 OF 5 FEBRUARY.
AKK 6/6 16
REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO UKDEL BRUSSELS AND U.K. MISSION GENEVA.
UK DEL BRUSSELS TELEGRAM 29 TO FCO.
I AGREE THAT UKMIS GENEVA TELEGRAM 6 TO ME AND UKDEL BRUSSELS
(7) TELECRAN 22 TO YOU SHOULD BE REPEATED TO BONN AND I SHOULD BE GLAD
Q
IF THE LATTER WOULD CONVEY THEIR CONTENT TO THE GERMAN MINISTRY OF
ECONOMIC AFFAIRS, EMPHASISING :-
(A) HONG KONG REPRESENTATIVES WENT TO LISTEN WITHOUT COMMITMENT IN
ACCORDANCE WITH COTTON TEXTILES COMMITTEE RESOLUTION AT DECEMBER
MEETING.
(B) ERNST MADE IT CLEAR THAT HE HAD YET NO MANDATE FROM MEMBER
STATES ON 'SPECIFIC INDICATIONS' REFERRED TO IN CTC RESOLUTION.
(C) DISCUSSION COULD THEREFORE ONLY BE ON INFORMAL BASIS.
(D) FIRST SENTENCE OF PARAGRAPH 4 OF GENEVA TELEGRAM 6 TO ME.
E) PARAGRAPH 6 OF THAT TELEGRAM (PARTICULARLY FIRST SENTENCE).
2. 1 DO NOT KNOW WHETHER ERNST IS DELIBERATELY MISREPRESENTING HONG
KONG ATTITUDE (AND PERHAPS MISREPRESENTING EEC VIEWS TO US), OR
WHETHER BELIEVING THAT HE HAD DISCERNED HINTS THAT IN THE END WE
WOULD ACCEPT THE 1969 FICURE, HE HAS DECIDED THAT THIS IS THE MOST
HOPEFUL COMPROMISE BETWEEN THE DIFFERING ATTITUDES OF VARIOUS
MEMBER STATES AND OF HONG KONG, AND THAT THE BEST WAY TO GET IT
THROUGH IS TO TELL EACH PARTY THAT THE OTHERS WOULD PROBABLY
ACCEPT IT.
3. IT MIGHT THEREFORE BE AS WELL TO REPEAT THESE AND FUIURE
TELEGRAMS ON SUCH DISCUSSIONS WITH COMMISSION OFFICIALS TO ALL
MEMBER STATES' CAPITALS.
FCO PLEASE PASS PRIORITY TO UKDEL BRUSSELS AND UKMIS GENEVA.
SIR D. TRENCH
/REPEATED AS REQUESTED/
INTERNATIONAL TRADE DISTRIBUTION
H.K.D.
W.E.D.
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION
H.K. INTERNATIONAL TRADE
E.1.0.
CONFIDENTIAL
9