CONFIDENTIAL
CYPHER/CAT A
ROUTINE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELNO 69
CONFIDENTIAL
TO UKDEL EEC BRUSSELS
13 NOVEMBER 1969.
(HKK 6/24)
40
YOUR TELNO 250: EEC COMMON COMMERCIAL POLICY HONG KONG.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT UK-ECSC STEEL MEETING SHOULD FINISH BY MIDDAY DECEMBER 1, AS WELLENSTEIN HAS REQUESTED, AND TALKS WITH ERNST SHOULD FIT INTO THAT AFTERNOON AND THE FOLLOWING MORNING. WE AGREE THAT THERE IS NO NEED FOR PREFERENCES TO BE ON THE AGENDA. 2. WE ARE ANXIOUS TO KEEP THE TALKS INFORMAL FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. IT WAS IN THIS SPIRIT THAT THEY WERE SUGGESTED BY ERNST AND WE DO NOT WANT THE COMMISSION TO BE ABLE TO ARGUE, IF THEY SHOULD COME OUT WITH CUT-AND-DRIED PROPOSALS UNWELCOME TO HONG KONG IN A MORE- OR-LESS FINAL FORM, THAT THEY HAD ALREADY HAD DUE CONSULTATIONS BEFORE DOING SO. ON PRESENT FORM OUR OBJECT IS TO LEARN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE OF THE COMMISSION'S INTENTIONS AND, WITHOUT COMMITMENT, GIVE THEM AN INDICATION THAT THEY CAN EXPECT A GOOD DEAL OF TROUBLE IF THEY ARE THINKING OF RESTRICTING HONG KONG'S TRADE ON THE LINES PROPOSED. BUT WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING OUT A LINE MORE FULLY IN CONSULTATION WITH HONG KONG REPRESENTATIVES WHO WILL BE IN LONDON DURING THE PREVIOUS WEEK. YOU WILL NO DOUBT CONTINUE TO KEEP US FULLY BRIEFED ON ALL RELEVANT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE COMMON COMMERCIAL POLICY.
3. ON TEXTILES WE CANNOT FORESEE HOW MUCH THERE WILL BE TO TALK ABOUT. WE WILL HAVE TO TAKE STOCK OF THE POSITION IN THE LIGHT OF THE OUTCOME OF THE VISIT TO WASHINGTON OF THE JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER ON NOVEMBER 21ST.
L
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR OFFER TO SEND HANNAY TO ATTEND THE TALKS, BUT TO MAINTAIN INFORMALITY WE THINK NUMBERS BHOULD BE KEPT DOWN.
STEWART
FILES
H.K. DEPT
E. I.D.
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COPIES TO:
MR. R. GOLDSMITH, B.O.T. MR. J.W. PRESTON, B.0.T.
MR. D. I. DUNNETT, B.O.T. MR. P.W. CAREY, B.O.T.
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