TNAG-0138-FCO40-174-Conduct-of-Hong-Kong-commercial-relations-1969 — Page 48

CONFIDENTIAL

16 DECEMBER 1969.

CYPHER/CAT A

FRIORITY HONG KONG TO BRUSSELS

TEL. NO. 31

CONFIDENTIAL

[ NEUTRAL]

FOR DODGE.

tile

Enduct

Alanmacial

Ralahon

YOUR TELEGRAM 59: COTTON TEXTILES TO THE BENELUX.

30

;

PLEASE EXCHANGE LETTERS WITH STOLP AS PROPOSED. YOU SHOULD NOW

HAVE RECEIVED A COPY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPT AIDE MEMOIRE

OF 11 DECEMBER TO CONSULS GENERAL CONVEYING HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S

ACCEPTANCE OF THE EXTENSION AND PROPOSING THE ISSUE OF PROVISIONAL

QUOTA TO AVOID A HIATUS IN THE TRADE IN EARLY 1979 AS

#

WITH THE PRESENT GERMAN PROVISIONAL ALLOCATION, THIS ARRANGEMENT

WAS WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO THE AD REFERENDUM AGREEMENT. THE BENELUX

PROPOSAL WILL, HOWEVER, GIVE IT FORMAL COVER AND IS QUITE ACCEPTABLE,

2. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN HONG KONG PRACTICE FOR COTTON TEXTILE

RESTRAINT AGREEMENTS TO BE SIGNED HERE BY DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE AND

INDUSTRY AND CONSULS GENERAL RATHER THAN BY H.M. GOVERNMENT

REPRESENTATIVES IN THE COUNTRIES CONCERNED, UNLESS THE BENELUX

FEEL STRONGLY, I WOULD PREFER TO HAVE THE AGREEMENT SIGNED HERE.

(F.C.O. PLEASE PASS PRIORITY TO BRUSSELS)

SIR D. TRENCH

[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]

INTERNATIONAL TRADE DISTRIBUTION:

COMMODITIES D.

H.K.D.

W.EUR.D.

DDDDD

CONFIDENTIAL

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No. 51

1. DECOR

HICKG/18