Registry

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

Top Secret, Secret.

X Confidential. X

Restricted.

DRAFT LETTER

To:-

P W Ridley Faq DTI

Unclassified.

PRIVACY MARKING

Type 1 +

From

Mr Peeble

Telephone No. & Ext.

Department

In Confidence

C.C.:

Mr Wilford

COTTON TEXTILES:

TEXTÍLES:

OPP1

MP Lam

Pm. 448

#g

Victoria Street

Oy Sanders sq

TYPI CPP2

Victoria Street

[Flag A]

Flag B

HONG KONG

Now that the various debates on the Government's

decision have been concluded, we are turning our

minds to the resumption of talks with Hong Kong

in the week beginning 10 January.

2.

:

We

You will have seen (Hong Kong telegram No. 922)

the views of the Governor that the loss and resent-

ment in the Colony could be rectified to some extent

if concessions were made in the next round of talks

along the lines suggested by Haddon-Cave.

understand and generally accept the comments

of the Minister for Trade (recorded in Farrow's

minute of 8 December to you) that "it is unlikely

to be practicable to make concessions to one major

supplier without making corresponding concessions

to other major suppliers"; although it is a fact

that HMG's responsibility (exercised in Parliament

by the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary) for

Hong Yong is much greater than any responsibility

we might have towards independent members of the

Commonwealth.

3. We consider it extremely important that, whatever

British Government view we arrive at for the resumed

talks, these will be both serious and meaningful

(885363) Dd. 896639 1,000M 8:71 S:.5.

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

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