TNAG-0138-FCO40-174-Conduct-of-Hong-Kong-commercial-relations-1969 — Page 13

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

case of paragraph 3 the final sentence which

we suggest might be inserted does no more than

leave the choice of venue (for negotiations

where British international commercial policy

is not involved) for decision between Hong Kong

and the third party concerned.

As with the addition to paragraph 3, the

new paragraph 8 seems quite unnecessary but

useful for presentation purposes in Hong Kong.

We cannot pretend that we like it and I imagine

your own feelings will not be too different,

but at least the proposal is that Hong Kong,

as well as ourselves, should recognise the need

for speedy decisions. On that mutual basis we

have no objection in this Office. Trench

himself appeared to attach importance to it

for "consumption in Hong Kong".

At the same meeting we touched on the

ground covered by Eugene Melville in his letter

to Bob Goldsmith dated 3 December. I think

had we seen this letter of Melville's sooner

we would have come to the conclusion that it

contained enough matters of substance to

justify our asking you to take part in the

discussions, There is no doubt at all that

Melville's points are of considerable

importance, although you will be aware that

when we were considering Hong Kong's draft

together we did not have the question of the

Colony's representation in international

organisations so clearly in mind as the sort

of contentious bilateral occasion (e.g. Hong

Kong/Canada, Hong Kong/Norway) from which the

need for explicit guidance has so largely

developed.

/However