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EXPORT CREDITS GUARANTEE DEPARTMENT
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Your reference
Dean Canter,
Mr. Brown
Our reference SL/CW 24126/35 Pt. 3.
I would like to in this on the papers. 12th February, 1968. This follows a telephone conventiation wit
No. Cotterill.
12/2
You sent me a copy of your letter of 31st January to Michael Morris about the Hong Kong Tunnel. From this it appeared almost certain that the scheme would be shelved, both by the Government and by the commercial interests.
2. I am enclosing a copy of a letter which Hannam in Hong Kong has sent to Gowers in the Board of Trade which while not contradicting this view suggests that the atmosphere in which these decisions will be arrived at could be rather a nasty one. You will not be surprised to learn that what particularly concerns us about this letter is the statement by Cowperthwaite to the effect that the reason why the Hong Kong Government was withdrawing was because of the conditions quoted by E. C. G. D. which, he says, were raised in a manner known to be unacceptable to Hong Kong.
3. My own view, for what it is worth, is that the Hong Kong Government which at the beginning showed something approaching distaste for participation in this scheme, is, now that the political situation in the Colony has settled down, only too glad to return to this initial position of non-participation. If this is so, then what it requires is an excuse, which will satisfy those commercial interests in Hong Kong who have been keen to involve the Government, for withdrawing its support from the scheme.
4.
J
or not
Whether this conjecture is correct however what concerns us immediately is the suggestion that the Hong Kong Government might publicly explain its actions by reference to the conditions which this Department is said to have required. Even if this is not done publicly, private comment of the type quoted by Hannam will have
an effect in as small a community as Hong Kong not markedly different from a public
announcement.
/5.
W. S. Carter, Esq.,
Commonwealth Office, Curtis Green,
London, S.W.1.
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RECEIVIN ARCHIVES No. 63 13FEB1968
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