From the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
Ref.
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166
MEST
HEF
COTTON TEXTILES: HONG KONG
162) Pse sand againly
пушке
to
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London S.W.1
In Laund
20 December, 1971
r
iz
P.A.
и светривани En
22
Thank you for your letter of 10 December.
I was grateful for your agreement to the amendment to Mr. Ridley's letter to Haddon-Cave.
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I am sure that Hong Kong do not believe that we are committed to any concessions in January but they, and I hope this is your view too, will expect detailed talks when these resume.
You will have seen the views of the Governor that the loss and resentment in the Colony could be rectified to some extent if concessions were made in the next round of talks along the lines suggested by the Hong Kong delegation last week. I know that you think it is unlikely to be practicable for us to make concessions to one major supplier without making corresponding concessions to other major suppliers. It is a fact however that HMG have a direct and inter- nationally recognised responsibility for Hong Kong which they do not have for the other major overseas suppliers and it would be most difficult for us to accept that nothing could be done by way of transitional arrangements to help Hong Kong simply because corresponding concessions would have to be made to other major suppliers. It is strongly felt in Hong Kong that we should
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