EN CLAIR
51
PRIORITY
HONG KONG
TO
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELNO 610
11 SEPTEMBER 1970
UNCLASSIFIED
FROM INFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT FOR NEWS DIVISION,
CHANCELLOR OF THE DUCHY OF LANCASTER MET PRESS ON ARRIVAL AND
ANWERED QUESTIONS FROM RADIO AND TELEVISION STATIONS.
HE SAID
HE HOPED PROBLEMS FOR HONG KONG OF U.K. ENTRY O E E C WOULD
NOT BE TOO ALARMING AND THAT ARRANGEMENTS WOULD BE MADE TO SAFEGUARD THE POSITION DURING THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD, ASKED ABOUT
THE EFFECT ON HONG KONG HE POINTED OUT THAT THE COLONY HAD ONE
OF THE MOST REMARKABLY SOUND ECONOMIES IN THE WORLD. OF ARRANGEMENT.
S
WHICH MIGHT BE MADE FOR HONG KONG MINISTER SAID HE WOULD NOT
RULE OUT ASSOCIATION BUT IT WAS NOT THE FORM BUT THE REALITY WHICH WAS IMPORTANT. QUOTE IN OR OUT OF THE COMMON MARKET NO-ONE
CAN GIVE ANY GUARANTEE AS TO WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN WORLD TRADE UNQUOTE.
!
2. TO A DIRECT QUESTION AS TO WHETHER HONG KONG'S POSITION WOULD
BE PROTECTED MINISTER REPLIED: QUOTE WE HAVE HONG KONG'S POSITION
VERY MUCH IN MIND UNQUOTE.
3.
MINISTER EMPHASISED THAT HE WAS NOT TOO WORRIED IN THE LONG TERM AND FELT THAT THE THING TO HOPE FOR WAS A GENERAL EXPANSION . OF HONG KONG TRADE WHICH WOULD RESULT FROM THE EXPANSION OF TRADE IN THE EXPANDED COMMUNITY. QUOTE IN THE SHORT TERM WE MUST STUDY TO SEE THAT THERE IS A MINIMUM OF DISRUPTION UNQUOTE.
SIR D. TRENCH
FILES
NEWS DEPT.
HONG KONG DEPT.
E.I.D. E.C.I.U.
NNNNN
HKK37/9 Chied to HKKG/548/