GR 1000
IMMEDIATE
CYPHER CAT A
298
(297)
CONFIDENTIAL
Bost
Акк
124/4/6/15
LE LAUNDRY LO.
FM HONG KONG 870710Z
CONFIDENTIAL
-No6.25%
No.
TO IMMEDIATE F C 0 TELNO 1098 CF 7 NOVEMBER 1977
INFO IMMEDIATE BRUSSELS (FOR BURGESS) UKMIS GENEVA (FOR TSAO) UKREP BRUSSELS WASHINGTON (FOR CROWSON) HONG KONG GOVERNMENT
OFFICE LONDON.
C
240 OUR TELEGRAM 1082 OF 2 NOVEMBER: EE & TEXTILES.
A TELEGRAM IN SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSALS MADE BY HILLS IN BRUSSELS
ON FRIDAY 4 NOVEMBER WAS ALREADY UNDER PREPARATION IN ORDER
TO UNDERLINE THE GENUINENESS OF HIS STATEMENT THAT THIS WAS NOT
AN INTERIM NEGOTIATING POSITION BUT A COMPLETE STEP BACKWARDS,
AS FAR AS WE WERE CONCERNED TO DEVISE AN INTERNATIONALLY
DEFENSIBLE PROPOSITION.
2. NOW WE HAVE, IN ADDITION, THE REPORTS ON TRAN'S EXTRAORDINARY
PRESS CONFERENCE ON 4 NOVEMBER. THIS SITUATION IS BEYOND THE
EXPERIENCE OF ANYONE HERE AND WE ARE FRANKLY ASTONISHED THAT A
RESPONSIBLE EEC SPOKESMAN SHOULD HAVE MADE THESE ILL-FOUNDED
ACCUSATIONS AND NAKED THREATS DURING THE COURSE OF A NEGOTIATION AND WITHOUT THE COURTESY OF ADVANCED WARNING: AND, FURTHERMORE, WE ARE ASTONISHED THAT HE SHOULD HAVE FAILED TO HAVE THEM MADE KNOWN AT A FORMAL NEGOTIATING SESSION A FEW HOURS THEREAFTER, WHICH HE PERSONALLY DID NOT ATTEND, AND AT WHICH HE ALREADY KNEW HONG KONG WAS TO TABLE A COMPREHENSIVE PROPOSAL. YOU SHOULD KNOW, THEREFORE, THAT OUR DEMARCHE AT THAT MEETING WAS MADE IN COMPLETE IGNORANCE OF WHAT TRAN HAD SAID SHORTLY BEFORE.
3. IN CASE YOU DO NOT HAVE THE TEXTS OF THESE STATEMENTS TO HAND, A COMPILATION FROM REUTERS, AP AND AFP, TOGETHER WITH A PUBLIC
STATEMENT MADE HERE YESTERDAY BY DORWARD HAS BEEN SENT THROUGH
YOU TO THE HONG KONG COVERNMENT LONDON OFFICE.
CONFIDENTIAL
14. THERE