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FCO TELNO. 415 TO HONG KONG
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OR RESPONSIBILITIES FOR HONG KONG IN THE INTERESTS OF THE COLONY, WE WOULD HOPE THAT THE PRACTICE, NOW TAKEN FOR GRANTED IN THE COTTON TEXTILES COMMITTEE, WOULD QUICKLY COME TO BE ACCEPTED IN MEETINGS
AT WHICH NON-COTTON TEXTILES WERE DISCUSSED. THE VIEWS EXPRESSED
BY REPRESENTATIVES OF HONG KONG, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE MEMBERS OF
THE UK DELEGATION, WOULD NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT OUR VIEWS. WE WOULD HOPE THAT, AS IN THE CTC, ARRANGEMENTS COULD BE WORKED OUT ON THE SPOT WHEREBY THE EXPRESSION OF CONFLICTING VIEWS COULD BE AVOIDED.
7. WE WOULD HAVE TO INFORM OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES AND THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF GATT THAT HONG KONG WOULD, IN FUTURE, BE ACTING INDEPENDENTLY IN ALL TEXTILE MATTERS. WE ARE CONSULTING STR E. MELVILLE ABOUT THIS (SEE MY TELEGRAM NO.274 TO GENEVA).
8. WE DO NOT THINK THAT ARRANGEMENTS ON THESE LINES WOULD LEAD
US INTO DIFFICULTIES WITH THE CPG. WE WOULD, HOWEVER, BE GLAD OF
YOUR VIEWS BOTH ON THIS POINT AND ON THE PROPOSALS AS A WHOLE WHICH
WE MUST EMPHASISE MERELY REPRESENT THE VIEWS HERE AT OFFICIAL LEVEL.
IF, AS WE HOPE, YOU AGREE THAT WE SHOULD PURSUE THESE IDEAS WE
WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT DETAILED PROPOSALS TO MINISTERS AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE.
STEWART.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE DISTRIBUTION
H.K.D.
COMMODITIES D.
T.P.D.
TAR EAST. D.
AMERICAN D.
COPIES TO:
MR. GREGORY, MINTECH. MR. DUNNETT, B.O.T. MR. NICOLL, B.O.T.
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