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HKK 04076.
RECEIVED IN RE
·9 MAY 1984
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Action Taken
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RECORD OF SECRETARY OF STATE'S CONVERSATION WITH THE HON W COOPER MP,
NEW ZEALAND MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND OVERSEAS TRADE,
AT 1145 AM ON TUESDAY 1 MAY 1984
Present:
The Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey Howe QC MP
Mr J S Chick, Head of South
Pacific Department
Mr P F Ricketts, Private
Secretary
Mr R M Sands, South Pacific
Department
The Hon Warren Cooper MP
HE The Hon W L Young, New Zealand
High Commissioner
Mr M Norrish, Secretary for
Foreign Affairs
Mr E Woodfield, Deputy Secretary,
Treasury
Mr B M Brown, Deputy High
Commissioner
In responding to the Secretary of State's welcome, Mr Cooper referred appreciatively to the briefing he had received, when last in Hong Kong, from Sir E Youde; and said that progress seemed to have been made in the negotiations on Hong Kong. There had been an outflow of capital and a home could be found for some of it in New Zealand. Sir Geoffrey Howe agreed that there had been some progress. The Chinese seemed anxious to reach an early agreement. Difficulties remained but both sides were committed to maintaining stability and prosperity in Hong Kong.
2. Mr Cooper regretted raising yet again the question of butter, but recalled that the Prime Minister had said that New Zealand should not apologise for troubling us about it. It was necessary to ensure that all EC Members knew New Zealand's position. His present visit had already taken him to Athens, Rome, The Hague, Luxembourg and Copenhagen, where he had found complete agreement with New Zealand's aims. The Italians had been particularly strong in their support;
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