9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
A decision had to be taken and taken quickly.
Was the Department
of Industry willing to assume direct leadership in this matter? Were they willing to act rather than talk?
All I had been able to do was to provide a contact. . I am committed to write a letter to Mr. Sun Suo-Chang giving one or more definite and concrete proposals.
The subject of compensatory deals has been discussed on a Government to Government level and I cannot put forward any proposals without
full Government support.
Was the DOI prepared to give such support now or was my reply to Mr. Sun Suo-Chang to be in the form of polite platitudes, asking questions instead of giving replies.
The initiative was definitely with the U.K. and I could do no more than convey their proposal to Mr. Sun.
In conclusion, I cannot hide my disappointment that so far the U.K. authorities are not willing to take a positive attitude since without this we are treading on dangerous ground where further conversations with the Chinese could easily do more harm than good.
Mi
179
14.
I wonder if the British Government ever would have obtained control of the majority of the Suez Canal shares if they had had to ask the ECGD for permission in advance.
L
, Lawrence Kadoorie