CYPHER/CAT A
CONFIDENTIÄL
ROUTINE UKDEL BRUSSELS TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELEGRAM NUMBER 426
12 OCTOBER 1970 p
CONFIDENTIAL
121713Ż
99
Kisio
HIRKER
ADDRESSED TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TELEGRAM NUMBER
426 OF 12 OCTOBER REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO HONG KONG
AND SAVING TO BONN THE HAGUE LUXEMBOURG PARIS ROME UKMIS GENEVA
AND BRUSSELS.
HONG KONG TELEGRAM NUMBER 699 HONG KONG AND THE E.E.C.
THE MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION WHO IS RESPONSIBLE BOTH FOR
EXTERNAL RELATIONS AND EXTERNAL TRADE IS DAHRENDORF. HE IS WELL DISPOSED TO HONG KONG AND HE WOULD, IN MY VIEW, BE THE MOST WORTHWHILE PERSON TO INVITE.
2. THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS (WHOSE DIRECTORATE GENERAL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GENERALISED PREFERENCE SCHEME) IS SIGRIST. HE IS NOT REPEAT NOT PARTICULARLY WELL DISPOSED TOWARDS HONG KONG: AND HE IS LIKELY TO LEAVE THE COMMISSION TO RETURN TO THE GERMAN DIPLOMATIC SERVICE AS SOON AS A SUITABLE APPOINTMENT CAN BE FOUND FOR HIM. BUT, AS LONG AS HE REMAINS HERE, IT IS WORTH TRYING TO ENCOURAGE HIM TO ADOPT A MORE SYMPATHETIC ATTITUDE TO HONG KONG: AND THE FLATTERY OF AN INVITATION, PARTICULARLY IF HE ACCEPTED IT, MIGHT NOT BE WITHOUT SOME EFFECT,
3. HIJZEN, THE DIRECTOR GENERAL AD INTERIM OF EXTERNAL TRADE AND ERNST, THE DIRECTOR RESPONSIBLE FOR TRADE WITH
THE FAR EAST, INCLUDING HONG KONG, PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN THE FORMATION OF POLICY WITHIN THE COMMISSION. HIJZEN IS A
GOOD FRIEND OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, THOUGH HE HAS BEEN NERVOUS
ABOUT THE DANGER OF EXCESSIVE IMPORTS INTO THE COMMUNITY FROM
HONG KONG. HE IS A VERY BUSY MAN: BUT, IF HE COULD BE PERSUADED
TO COME, IT WOULD BE VALUABLE FOR HIM TO HAVE BEEN SHOWN
HONG KONG. ERNST IS A SLIPPERY CUSTOMER: AND NOTHING WOULD
NECESSARILY PRODUCE THE RIGHT RESULT WITH HIM. ON THE OTHER
HAND, IT WOULD BE UNWISE TO APPEAR TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST HIM
BY INVITING OTHERS IN THE COMMISSION WHOSE DIRECT REPONSIBILITY
FOR HONG KONG QUESTIONS IS LESS THAN HIS.
4. THE OTHER DIRECTORATE GENERAL WHICH HAS AN IMPORTANT INFLUENCE
ON THESE QUESTIONS IS THAT OF INDUSTRIAL POLICY. THE DIRECTOR
GENERAL, TOULEMON, ANW INTELLIGENT AND OPENMINDED FRENCHMAN.
CONFIDENTIAL
/TENDS