CONFIDENTIAL
2
3. IT IS UNLIKELY THAT THE UNION CAN BE DISSUADED FROM ITS
PRESENT ATTITUDE TOWARDS IMPORTS BUT LABOUR COUNSELLOR WILL
ENDEAVOUR TO USE THE OCCASION TO REPEAT OUR VIEWS ON THE WIDER
ISSUE OF THE DANGERS OF RESTRAINT ON TRADE: WE FEEL IT IS NOT
FOR HONG KONG TO JUSTIFY ITS PRACTICE BUT RATHER FOR THOSE WHO
WANT TO RESTRAIN IMPORTS TO JUSTIFY INTERFERING WITH HONG KONG'S
NATUREAL RIGHT TO TRADE. IT IS UNDERSTOOD, HOWEVER, THAT WORKING
CONDITIONS IN HONG KONG HAVE RECENTLY BEEN UNDER CONSIDERATION
AND IF THERE ARE ANY DEVELOPMENTS WHICH OVERSEAS LABOUR ADVISER
OR HONG KONG FEEL MIGHT USEFULLY BE MENTIONED TO THE UNION
ESPECIALLY IN REFUTATION OF QUOTE SWEATSHOP UNQUOTE ALLEGATIONS)
PERHAPS THEY WOULD COMMENT URGENTLY AND BY NOON OUR TIME ON
2 FEBRUARY AT LATEST.
FCO PASS IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
MR.
FREEMAN
[ADVANCE COPIES SENT AS REQUESTED SENT TO D.C.C. FOR MIN TECH]) [REPEATED AS REQUESTED].
[NOTE BY COMMS DEPT. WASHINGTON REGRET DELAY
OF THIS TELEGRAK].
INTERNATIONAL TRADE DISTRIBUTION:
HONG KONG DEPT
AMERICAN DEPT
O.L.A.
CONFIDENTIAL
¡
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