ADVANCE CON
F0806/20
ADVANCE COPY
IMMEDIATE
IMMEDIATE
ADVANCE COPY
33/21
DESK By 201eb8x
D.T.I.
E.C.G.D. Ho./ H.K.I.O.D. Ho./E.PD.
3x
DESKEY 2016962
CYPHER/CAT A
FM HONG KONG 2000082
RESTRICTED
TO IMMEDIATE D T 1 LONDON TELNO CREDA 12 OF 20TH FEBRUARY, INFO IMMEDIATE E.C.G.D. (FOR FELL) AND FCO (FOR STUART, HKIOD AND FINLAYSON, EPD).
FOR GLAVES-SMITH (OPG) INFO MISS WELCH CREE) FROM ASTON.
M. T.S.
I HAD FRANK AND FRIENDLY DISCUSSIONS WITH HADDON-CAVE” YESTERDAY (19) AFTERNOON, I TOOK LIKE INDICATED IN YOUR CHRISTIAN 4 OF 16 FEBRUARY AS FAR AS POSSIBLE. BUT I PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE HADDON CAVE REGARDS THIS AS NOW BEING A COMPETITIVE NECOTIATION IT INTEREST KOULD HAVE LOOKED EXTREMELY ODD TO HIM IF I HAD SHOWN NO IN THE POSSIBLE COMPETITION AND WOULD HAVE UNDONE MUCH OF LOBBY-- ING WE HAVE BEEN DOING TO ENCOURAGE HIM TO TELL US OF OUR COMPETITORS OFFERS, AND TO IGNORE FACT THAT HE IS EXPECTING TO GET SOME IMPROVED TERMS OUT OF US WOULD HAVE APPEARED DISINGENUOUS, UNFORTUNATELY I DID NOT HAVE THE BENEFIT OF FURTHER INFORMATION GIVEN TO ME SUBSEQUENTLY BY FELL'S DELAYED TELEPHONE CALL EXPLAINING THE CHANGE IN CREDIT MARKET IMPLICIT IN YOUR TELEGRAM, I WAS NOT THERE-- FORE ABLE TO DROP THE HINT TO HADDON CAVE THAT HIS NEGOTIATING POSITION MAY NOT NOW BE AS CAST IRON AS HE BELIEVED IT WAS BUT I SHALL LOOK FOR A DISCREET OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS. FOLLOWING IS SUMMARY OF POINTS.
TIMETABLE.
19 MARCH IS AGREEABLE FOR START OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH US IN HONG KONG AND THIS HAS BEEN PERCILLED INTO THE PROGRAMME HOW
FORMING UP.
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