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OF THE COUNCIL WHICH WOULD CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING YEAR'S G.P.S. PROPOSALS IN WHICH CASE THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE AVAILABLE TO THE COMMISSION IN HIS VIEW WOULD BE TO CONTINUE WITH THE PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS FOR HONG KONG UNCHANGED FOR NEXT YEAR.
8. SCHOFFER HAD CLEARLY BEEN BADLY BRIEFED OR NOT DONE HIS HOMEWORK AND HE SEEMED GENUINELY SURPRISED BY THE FACTS WHICH WE PLACED BEFORE HIM. HE CONFIRMED THAT THE DEADLINE WHICH HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN DRAWN UP (SEE CODEL BRUSSELS TEL. NO. 956 OF 8TH NOVEMBER ) WOULD NOW NEED TO BE ABANDONED. DODGE SAID THAT
HE WOULD BE AVAILABLE AT ANY TIME TO ASSIST SCHOFFER WITH ANY
POINTS OF DETAIL ON WHICH HE WOULD WISH TO HAVE FURTHER
CLARIFICATION AND SCHOFFER CONCLUDED BY SAYING THAT HE THOUGHT THE MEETING HAD BEEN VERY USEFUL AND THAT HE HAD CERTAINLY
HAD PUT BEFORE HIM ISSUES OF WHICH HE HAD HITHERTO BEEN UNAWARE.
HE THOUGHT THAT MUCH WOULD DEPEND ON EXACTLY WHAT ASSURANCES HAD BEEN EXCHANGED BETWEEN E.E.C. AND H.M.G. OFFICIALS AND WHAT STATUS THE
COMMISSION'S LEGAL ADVISERS AFFORDED THOSE ASSURANCES. HE HAD
BEEN TOLD THAT AT THE TECHNICAL LEVEL ON BOTH THE E.E.C. AND
BRITISH SIDES THE EXISTENCE OF THE ASSURANCES WERE
WELL KNOWN BUT PERHAPS THEY HAD NOT BEEN REPEATED TO
THE ACTUAL NEGOTIATORS THEMSELVES. HE WAS CONVINCED THAT
HONG KONG HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THEM AND THAT HONG KONG HAD ACTED STRICTLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE E.E.C./U.K. AGREEMENT ON HONG KONG REACHED ON 2ND FEBRUARY, 1971.
9. FOR THE MOMENT THE HEAT IS RIGHT OFF AND BALL FIRMLY BACK
IN THE COMMISSION'S COURT.
10. MILLS RETURNS HONG KONG ON FLIGHT BA892 ARRIVING 14TH NOVEMBER P.M., AND WILL GIVE HIS ASSESSMENT OF THE MEETING ON HIS RETURN. PLEASE INFORM FAMILY.
DOUGLAS-HOME
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COPIES TO.
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE 54 PALL MALL, SW1
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