XN000022-1972-06-20 — Page 2

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Tuesday, June 20, 1972

FOREIGN SECRETARY SPEAKS ABOUT HONG KONG

The British Foreign Secretary, Sir Alec Douglas-Home, said last

night (Monday) that he was in touch with the Governor, Sir Murray MacLehose,

about an immediate contribution to Hong Kong's relief fund following the

serious flooding over the weekend.

Sir Alec, who was speaking as guest of honour at the Hong Kong

Association's Dragon Boat Dinner in London, said the banquet was inevitably

overshadowed by the floods which had brought death and destruction.

Turning to Britain's entry into the European Economic Community,

Foreign Secretary said his Government well understood the concern expressed by

Hong Kong about the future, including the assimilation under the community's

system of generalised preferences.

He added: "In particular of course there is the immensely important

question of Hong Kong's exports to Britain of textile products and clothing,

and I wish to take this opportunity to convince you that Her Majesty's

Government really does appreciate the problems involved. There is no easy

way out, but we are determined that Hong Kong's interests shall not be neglected."

Sir Alec said his Government had initiated discussions with the Commission

in Brussels on Hong Kong's cotton textile quota levels for 1973 and would

naturally keep in close contact with the Hong Kong Government.

He said for the long term, Britain was working with its partners in

the Common Market towards a unified policy on textiles.

/Sir Alec