CONFIDENTIAL
File
CYPHER/CAT A
ROUTINE UNDEL EC
TELEGRAM NO. 257
CONFIDENTIAL.
YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 67.
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
10 NOVEMBER 1969
E.E.C. COMPON COMMERCIAL POLICY ban HONG KONG.
37
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ERNST WELCOMES YOUR INVITATION TO HAVE TALKS IN LONDON ON THE
COMMON COMMERCIAL POLICY AS IT MAY AFFECT HONG KONG AND ALSO ON
TEXTILES. HE ASSUMES THAT THE UK-ECSC STEEL MEETING WHICH HE WILL
BE ATTENDING ON THE 1ST DECEMBER NEED NOT LAST LONGER THAN THAT
MORNING, ACCORDINGLY, IF THIS WERE SO, HE WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO
START THE TALKS ON HONG KONG AND TEXTILES ON THE AFTERNOON OF THE
1ST DECEMBER IF THIS WERE CONVENIENT TO YOU: BUT HE WILL ARRANGE
TO SPEND THE NIGHT OF 1ST DECEMBER IN LONDON AND TO BE AT YOUR
DISPOSAL FOR THE MORNING AND IF NECESSARY THE EARLY PART OF THE
AFTERNOON OF THE 2ND DECEMBER. HE WOULD, HOWEVER, LIKE THESE TALKS TO BE FINISHED BY NOT LATER THAN 4.39 P.M. ON THE 2 ND DECEMBER SO
THAT HE CAN FLY BACK TO DRUSSELS THAT EVENING. ALTHOUGH WELLENSTEIN WILL BE IN LONDON FOR THE STEEL TALKS (AND OVER THE PRECEDING WEEKEND TO ADDRESS A PRIVATE CONSERVATIVE HEETING) HE IS SHOWING NO ANXIETY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TALKS ON HONG KONG AND TEXTILES
BUT SEEMS VERY CONTENT THAT THESE SHOULD BE LEFT IN THE HANDS OF ERNST.
2. ERNST SEES NO NECESSITY FOR EARLIER TALKS IN BRUSSELS. THE TIME SCALE OF COMMUNITY CONSIDERATION OF THE SECTORIAL REGIME
PROPOSALS IS SUBSTANTIALLY MORE LEISURELY THAN SEEMS TO BE FEARED IN PARAGRAPH 3 OF YOUR TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE. THIS WHOLE QUESTION IS MORE AND MORE LIKELY TO BE SUBSUMED IN THE QUESTION OF
THE NEGOTIATION OF A TRADE AGREEMENT WITH JAPAN ON WHICH THE COMMISSION WERE ONLY TODAY GIVEN AUTHORITY BY THE COUNCIL TO START CONDUCTING EXPLORATORY DISCUSSIONS (WE SHALL BE REPORTING SEPARATELY ON THIS). IT IS THEREFORE LIKELY TO BE MONTHS RATHER THAN WEEKS
BEFORE THERE IS ANY SUBSTANTIAL FORWARD MOVEMENT.
LIVED IN
R CUTRY No.51 11 NOV 1969
4KKG/24
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