IMMEDIATE
CYPHER/CAT A
CONFIDENTIAL
RECIVED IN
REGISTRY No.51
C O 261730Z
=) JUN 1971
(ITTV 15, 33371)
153
REF.
CONFIDENTIAL.
NKK
NE
REF.
160
NEUTRAL.
163
TO IMMEDIATE TOKYO TELEGRAM NUMBER 296 OF 26 MAY INFO HONG KONG
AND WASHINGTON.
YOUR TELS HOS 364 AND 377 GENERALISED PREFERENCES AND HONG KONG.
148)
'53
1. FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF MESSAGE FROM PRIME MINISTER TO MR SATO
FOR EARLY DELIVERY: -
BEGINS.
1 RECALL WITH PLEASURE OUR MOST USEFUL MEETING IN NEW YORK LAST
OCTOBER, IN THE COURSE OF OUR TALK THEN ON SOME OF THE ECONOMIC
QUESTIONS FACING US, I STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE WHICH WE ATTACHED TO
THE INCLUSION OF HONG KONG IN THE JAPANESE SCHEME OF GENERALISED
PREFERENCES. I WAS VERY PLEASED THEREFORE, WHEN I SAW YOUR STATEMENT
IN THE DIET ON 23 MARCH RECOGNISING HONG KONG'S SUITABILITY AS
A BENEFICIARY.
I UNDERSTAND, HOWEVER, THAT THE LIST OF QUOTE SENSITIVE UNQUOTE HONG KONG EXPORTS, NOW UNDER CONSIDERATION IN TOKYO, IS GIVING
RISE TO DIFFICULTIES, I AM SURE THAT THIS SHOULD NOT PREVENT A
WORTHWHILE OFFER TO HONG KONG, AND I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT YOU WILL
FIND IT POSSIBLE TO INCLUDE HONG KONG AND THE OTHER BRITISH DEPENDENT
TERRITORIES FROM THE OUTSET IN YOUR PREFERENCE SCHEME, AS HAVE THE
F.E.C.
I KNOW THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ARE READY TO SEND OFFICIALS
TO TOKYO TO DISCUSS ANY OUTSTANDING PROBLEMS. I BELIEVE THAT SUCH
DISCUSSIONS MIGHT LEAD TO A RAPID RESOLUTION OF THE DIFFICULTIES, AND I SUGGEST THAT THEY SHOULD, IF POSSIBLE, TAKE PLACE BEFORE THE END OF THIS MONTH, IN THIS WAY, SIR ALEC DOUGLAS-HOME AND MR AICH!
CAN HAVE BEFORE THEM THE NECESSARY DETAILS, SHOULD THERE REMAIN ANY
RINTS STILL TO BE CLEARED UP WHEN THEY MEET IN LONDON NEXT MONTH,
ENDS.
2. SIGNED VERSION WILL FOLLOW BY BAG.
DOUGLAS-HOME
INTERNATIONAL TRADE DISTRIBUTION
TPD
FED
HKD
NAM D
of 1-0-71.
CONFIDENTIAL