C. & I. 1506
2700463
✔ 60x100-4/68-B64524
To:
From:
Director of Commerce and Industry, Hong Kong.
}
Counsellor for Hong Kong Commercial Affairs, Brussels.
Memorandum No. 150
R&R
K6/24.
7
No.
2/1/338
Mr V. ERNST
VISIT to HONG KONG
Date
23rd May 1969
Your memorandum No 87 refers,
I have had some difficulty getting in touch with Ernst. He has been extremely busy all week preparing for his forthcoming visit to the Far East.
He
2.
He told me when we spoke that the only topic which he wished to talk about was the Commission's import policy. But he wondered whether you would like to talk with him on the same subject. He then went on to say that he frankly die not know who to talk to about the Cormission's policy towards Hong Kong, i.e. London or Hong Kong itself. Some times British officers talked with the Commission about long. Kong's problems whilst at other times llong Kong officers did the talking. realised that this was due to Hong Kong's "awkward position" but added that, for his part he was quite prepared to talk to any- body. If, therefore, Hong Kong thought it might be awkward to discuss the Commission's import policy with him at this stuge, he did not mind. Moreover, he had only allocated himsel7. hours stop-over in Pakistan and India. If he were to by-je Hong Kong be would have more time to spend in these two comi
3.
(I am convinced that, in adopting this attitude he wa not trying to be sarcastic nor was be trying to put on any pies - sure. Clearly, with such a tight schedule to work to be b.. little time to spare and is hoping th make each stop-over as productive as possible).
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ai.
Finally, he stressed that his main objective as far tuc as Hong Kong was concerned was to tell people what it was Commission had in mind. He had no wish to be accused of not telling anyone what was going on. The next two months, he sui62, were going to be quite important.
5.
In the absence of any instructions from you to the contrary, I said that you would be prepared to talk with him. But that is all that I said. I realise that such a bland ment is open to a variety of interpretations but clearly, to say something positive otherwise he might well have caz his visit to the Colony and I am not trying to be me loc
in saying this,
ALP/Jb
AL; UKDel (Mr Jackson)
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