Mr. Crow gon
Mr. Wilford
CONFIDENTIAL
Reference.....
arth.
ว
ก
83
95
Нед ть
Commercial Relations with Hong Kong
(Ma Wiljud?
I mentioned to you, shortly after I got back from Hong Kong that I had had a letter from Sir Eugene Melville about FCO telegram No. 384 (flag C).
I have discussed Sir E. Melville's proposals with Mr. Britten, Mr. Heath and Mr. Sellers of the Hong Kong Government Office. Mr. Britten was not convinced that there would be opposition from other countries to Sir E. Melville's proposals. Mr. Heath thinks we may have difficulty with the Board of Trade, to say nothing of Mintech, but he is quite content to have us proceed as proposed in the attached draft. He thinks that Mr. Bottomley and Mr. Gallagher will both welcome these proposals if we can persuade the BOT to agree. Mr. Sellers explained that there had been a change of view in Hong Kong over the last three years. In 1967, when representatives of the Hong Kong Government were in London for discussions about our negotiations with the EEC, they feared that any move in the direction now proposed by Sir E. Melville would produce a sharp reaction from Mainland China. Now, however, they were satisfied that this comparatively small step forward could be taken without fear of any significant reaction from the CPG. When I was in Hong Kong I had a few words with the Governor on this issue and he spoke along
the same lines.
I have taken the opportunity in the attached draft to spell out more fully than was done in the draft prepared for you during my absence in Hong Kong.our reasons why we consider that the Governor's proposals to extend the delegation of authority to cover all matters of overseas trade should be accepted.
айл
(E. O. Laird)
Hong Kong Department
30 September, 1970
CONFIDENTIAL
As a