Registry
No.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
Top Secret.
Secret.
Confidential.
DRAFT
SUBMISSION
Type 1 +
To:-
Mr Wilford
Sir L Monson
Restricted.
Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
In Confidence
Mr Logan
From
Mr Laird Telephone No. & Ext.
Department
HKD
cc Mr Hale
Commodities
A
B
IMPORTS OF COTTON TEXTILES FROM HONG KONG
1. In his telegram No 72 ir Murray MacLehose
has reported the outcome of the discussion in the
Textiles Advisory Board. In his telegram No 73
to Mr Wilford (this telegram has not been
distributed outside the FCO) Sir Murray MacLehose
has suggested that if the DTI were prepared to
go half way to the Hong Kong position "there is a
fair chance that the matter could be disposed of".
He has asked for "an improved offer" within a week.
2. I cannot pretend that it is going to be at
all easy to move the DTI any further towards the
Hong Kong position.
Mr Hale, I recommend
However, after consulting
with his agreement that
Mr Royle discuss the problem with Sir John Eden
as soon as a mutually convenient date can be fixed.
The suggestion is that we should seek the assistance
of the DTI in reaching a compromise position on
the lines proposed by Sir Murray MacLehose.
There is however one aspect of such an approach
On the
to which Mr Hale has drawn my attention.
assumption that the DTI accept a compromise which
would perhaps be based more on the need to get
agreement rather than the justification for such
an agreement this might make relations between
(885363) Dd. 896639 1,000м 8/71 St.S.
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
/Mr