CONFIDENTIAL
Reference...
41
28 Pree
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Sir L. Monson
Conduct of Hong Kong's Commercial Relations
With my minute of 22 December to Mr. Whitehead and Mr. Britten (copied to yourself and Mr. Wilford) I circulated a draft letter to Mr. Hughes (Board of Trade) reporting on our second round of discussions with Sir David Trench in December and commenting on certain points made by Sir Eugene Melville in correspondence with Mr. Goldsmith (Board of Trade).
2.
We subsequently received a further letter from Sir Eugene (dated 23 December) in which he changed his ground and expressed the firm view that it would be better not to have any "written concordat" on the subject of representation of Hong Kong's interests in international organisations. I have discussed this development with Mr. Whitehead and Mr. McKelvie (of Trade Policy Department). It is our agreed view that our best course is to support Sir Eugene Melville, for the reasons given in the attached revised version of the draft letter to Mr. Hughes.
3.
It would be helpful if the letter could issue quickly, as Sir Eugene Melville is due to arrive in London tonight.
Ami
(W. S. Carter)
Hong Kong Department
'
13 January, 1970
Copy (with enclosures) to Mr. Wilford
Copies (without enclosures) to Mr. Whitehead
Mr. McKelvie
CONFIDENTIAL