NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
which was not true of other Commonwealth
mads
We had
only
countries, despite ur undertakings to do
what we could for them once we were in the
Community.
5..
Mr. Robinson said the Hong Kong case
was in fact a parelle 14 to the domestic
ed
case at home. If we push Hong Kong's case
hard it would have to be taken to the
Council of Ministers where a rebuff would
be inevitable. This would inevitably lead
to unfavourable and damaging press comment
here.
Mr. Royle said that he did not see
that a lost battle would damage HMG's
interests since we would at least have been
seen to be fighting seriously for long
Kong
He stressed the need to go into negotiation
on Hong Kong with the real intention of
succeeding. He would take any rap there
was but did not think there would be much
of one. There might well ce many Labour
and Conservative anti-marketeers who would
be lobbied by Hong Kong and would press
Hong Kong's case actively in the House of
Commons. Mr. Robinson said that neither
the D.T.I. nor Hong Kong really believed
that Hong Kong would suffer from the
G.S.P.
Mr. Royle, however, pointed out
-5-
/the