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CONFIDENTIAL
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27
CYPHER/CAT A
PRIORITY BRUSSELS
TELEGRAM NO. 43
CONFIDENTIAL
281290Z
TO GOVERNOR HONG KONG
28 OCTOBER 1978
ADDRESSED TO GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO. 43 OF 28 OCTOBER 1973 AND RFI TO UKMIS GENEVA (FOR JONES) AND SAVING TO HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE, LONDON,
FROM DODGE.
ENLARGEMENT NEGOTIATIONS: MINISTERIAL MEETING OCTOBER 27.
AT THIS MORNING'S BRIEFING OF COMMONWEALTH REPRESENTATIVES MR, RIPPON ADVISED THAT THE COMMUNITY HAD INDICATED AGREEMENT TO THE ASSOCIATION OF DEPENDENT TERRITORIES WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HONG KONG, HE HAD EXPRESSED HIS GRATITUDE FOR THE GENERAL REACTION AND HIS REGRET IN RESPECT OF THE RESERVATION ON HONG KONG. HE REPORTED THAT THE COMMUNITY HAD STATED THAT HONG KONG WAS A SPECIAL PROBLEM TO BE CONSIDERED LATER ON IN THE NEGOTIATIONS. HE THEN SAID WE WILL FACE THE ISSUE WHEN WE COME TO IT.
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DURING QUESTION-TIME I ASKED MR. RIPPON IF THE NEWS- PAPER REPORTS THAT HE HAD SOUGHT EARLY DISCUSSIONS ON THE SUBJECT OF HONG KONG WERE CORRECT, HE ADVISED THAT HE HAD SAID THAT HMG THOUGHT THAT THE PROBLEM SHOULD BE RESOLVED AS SPEEDILY AS POSSIBLE, HE EMPHASISED HNG'S RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROTECTING HONG KONG FROM DISCRIMINATION FOR EXAMPLE, IN EXCLUSION FROM THE GPS. HE STATED THAT,
HE STATED THAT, AS A RESULT OF HIS RECENT VISIT HE WAS PARTICULARLY CONSCIOUS OF THE CRITICAL PROBLEMS FOR HONG KONG WHICH WOULD RESULT FROM ANY SUCH DISCRIMINATION, HE CONSIDERED THAT IF THERE WERE PROBLEMS TO BE RESOLVED IT WAS BETTER TO TACKLE THEM EARLY AND HE MENTIONED
HKK6/6
130
HMG'S GENERAL DESIRE TO SPEED UP THE TEMPO OF THE NEGOTIATIONS, /3.
CONFIDENTIAL..