153
peace time.
illis replied that they were not
u. K. trade night stand to gam
very much concerned, out-that-on the whole they
favoured-4t, especially if British machinery could
be used by the factory.
Mr. Cowell said that the feeling at the
meeting seeded to be, therefore, that a decision wee
needed by the abinet on the following pointe-
(1) was the Cabinet policy to prohibit the
export of completed aircraft to China and Japan to
be maintained.
(2) If so, did this prohibition apply to
Hong kong only, or to all British territory, including
Burma.
(3) If the answer to the letter was that the
decision applied to Hong Kong only, then we should
propose to tell the Governor of Hong Kong that we
have no objection to the setting up of the factory,
and that from the point of view of Hong Kong it would
be welcomed, but that as long as present hostilities
lasted no completed aircraft could be exported to the
belligerente. The promoters could, however, be
inforced that if they decided to establish a factory
in Burma permission for export would be given.
It was agreed after some further discussion
that the Colonial Office
should write to the Foreign
Office as a result of the meeting, setting forth the
an agreed
conclusions, and recommend that
memorandum should be
put up to the -abinet after discussion between the
Foreign Office, Molonial Office and Air Ministry.