Record of a meeting with EEC Commission Officials
at Berlaymont on 27th. September
Present
Commission
Mr. Wilhelm Haferkamp Mr. Manfred Caspari
Mr. Tran Van Thinh
Mr. Franz Froschmaier
Mr. Eberhard Rhein
Mr. Alistair Sutton
Vice-President of the Commission
Deputy Director General, DG 1 Special Representative for Textiles
Chef de Cabinet of Mr. Haferkamp
Cabinet of Mr. Haferkamp
Assistant to Mr. Tran
U.K. Representation
Mr. D. Elliott
Counsellor, External Trade
Hong Kong Government
Sir Murray MacLehose,
Mr. R.W. Dorward
Mr. C.B. Burgess
Governor of Hong Kong
Commissioner of Industry & Customs
Minister for Hong Kong Commercial
Affairs in Brussels
H.E. opened the meeting by saying he had been recalled to London
at the instruction of the Prime Minister and had subsequently been
asked to call on the commission by the Foreign Secretary.
He then rehearsed the arguments concerning the probable effects on
the Hong Kong economy of restrictions such as had been indicated in
Hong Kong by Mr. Tran and subsequently in various reports emanating from Brussels. He emphasised the objectionable nature of the discrimination apparently to be applied against Hong Kong in the matter of establishing base levels, and closed with a reference to the social consequences which
could result from them.
In response Mr. Haferkamp reiterated the EEC position along well known lines, e.g. the high rate of unemployment, the difficulties being
experienced by sectors of the community textile industry, the concept