TNAG-0151-FCO40-187-Exports-of-cotton-textiles-to-Canada-1969 — Page 64

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Mr. Whitehead,

Commodities Department

You have seen, as I have, a copy of Mr. S.

Stewart's minute of 24 July, about non-cotton textiles: · Canada Hong Kong, addressed to Mr. Kemmis,

2.

I have not yet received a copy of the Hong Kong

record of the meeting in Ottawa on 27 June between Mr. Gorse Howarth and Mr. Jordan and if I had I

should have sent it to the Board of Trade. However,

I have now seen the record prepared by Mr. Guinness.

3. It is, of course, true that at a certain stage in the latest round of Swedish negotiations there took place between Hong Kong and Sweden what were subsequently described in a telegram as "discussions on a hypothetical basis". However, in the event those hypothetical discussions, or as they might better have been described, exploratory discussions,

did not, so far as I can see, prejudice the outcome

of the Swedish negotiations.

Moreover I see more than once in Guinness' record firm statements by both Howarth and Jordan to the effect that they neither had any negotiating authority. I also think we ought not to forget that after we had sent, on Jordan's behalf, our telegram No.397 ta Hong Kong, repeated to Ottawa, setting out Jordan's objects in proposing his visit to Canada, we were then advised by the High Commission that Jordan's visit would be most useful. . One advantage Ottawa saw in Jordan's visit was that it would make it more difficult for the Canadians to take hasty action by demonstrating once again Hong Kong's responsible conduct on textile questions. I do not think that Hong Kong would for long retain that reputation if they were as silent on these occasions, and as little forthcoming, as Mr. Stewart evidently expects them to be.

4.

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However, I have now sent Hong Kong a telegram asking that we should be consulted before they enter into any commitment to negotiate with the Canadians and asking also for all available statistics. I think that I have made in that telegram the main points which Mr. Stewart would wish to see made. I am copying the draft (but it has already issued) to you and to Stewart.

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