•CYPHER/CAT.A.
IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON
CONFIDENTIAL
TO
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON TELNO 63 TO HONG KONG 3 OCTOBER 1969
CONFIDENTIAL
NEUTRAL/
243
ADDRESSED TO HONG KONG TELEGRAM NUMBER 63 OF 3 OCTOBER 1969 REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO UKMIS GENEVA (FOR JONES), FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH
OFFICE.
(TO BE ON DESKS FIRST THING MONDAY MORNING).
F.C.O. TELEGRAM 670 OF 3 CCTOBER TO YOU: U.S. REQUEST ON TEXTILES.
ON RECEIVING TELEGRAM THIS MORNING RIDLEY AND HERMANN TELEPHONED WHITHEAD IN F.C.0. AND EXPRESSED OUR OPINION AS FOLLOWS.
2. WE BELIEVE CULBERT'S APPROACH TO JONES TO HAVE BEEN BASED ON NOTHING MORE THAN THE AMERICAN SUGGESTION (PARAGRAPH 3 OF YOUR 225) TELEGRAM 36 TO ME) THAT HONG KONG MIGHT CHOOSE GENEVA AS PLACE FOR
NEGOTIATION ON NON-COTTON TEXTILES. THOUGH THE AMERICAN TEAM IS BOUND TO MENTION THE MATTER INFORMALLY THEY WOULD CERTAINLY NOT EXPECT HONG KONG TO NEGOTIATE ON SUBSTANCE UNLESS LATTER HAD ALREADY SIGNIFIED AGREEMENT TO THE PROPOSAL. WE SE SEE NO NEED FOR ANY STEP TO PROTECT HONG KONG FROM PRESSURE AT GENEVA.
3. MOREOVER WE FEEL THAT TO STAND ON A TECHNICALITY AT THIS STAGE, AND TO TELL THE AMERICANS (AFTER THEY HAVE DEALT DIRECTLY WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ON TEXTILES FOR MANY YEARS) THAT THEIR APPROACH THROUGH THE U.S. CONSULATE-GENERAL HAS NO VALIDITY, WOULD BE VIEWED AS A TIME-WASTING MANOEUVRE AND WOULD IRRITATE THE .. AMERICANS WHILE GAINING NOTHING. THEY CAN AFTER ALL PUT IN A REQUEST TO THIS EMBASSY OR TO LONDON AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE IF WE INSIST ON
THAT FORMALITY.
4. WE WILL TAKE A SUITABLE OPPORTUNITY OF REMINDING THE STATE DEPARTMENT, IN A LOW KEY, THAT PROPOSALS REGARDING HONG KONG ON ON A SUBJECT INVOLVING UNITED KINGDOM COMMERCIAL POLICY AND CHANGES IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE RULES SHOULD STRICTLY SPEAKING BE
MADE TO THE U.K. IN THE FIRST PLACE. BUT WE THINK IT DESIRABLE
TO TREAT THE APPROACH IN HONG KONG AS THOUGH IT WERE AN OFFICIAL
COMMUNICATION PROPERLY CHANNELLED.
F.3.0. PASS IMMEDIATE HONG KONG AND UKMIS GENEVA.
MR. FREEMAN.
REPEATED AS REQUESTED/
INTERNATIONAL TRADE DISTRIBUTION
HONG KONG DEPT.
LAST
REF.
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CONFIDENTIAL
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RCF.
ADVANCE COPIES SENT RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No.51
COCT 1969
HKK6/201/1
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