CONFIDENTIAL
CYPHER/CAT A
IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELEGRAM NUMBER 538
CONFIDENTIAL.
(621
NAR
RE
TO GOV. HONG KONG 14 AUGUST 1969 (H.K.D.)
Tor Curt
MY TELEGRAM NO. 531: FOLLOWING PERSONAL FOR THE GOVERNOR FROM
WILFORD.
I AM AFRAID THAT THE INSTRUCTION CONTAINED IN F.C.0. TELEGRAM NO. 536 LIKE ALL COMPROMISES, WILL NOT BE WHOLLY SATISFACTORY TO YOU, I HOPE, HOWEVER, THAT YOU WILL THINK THAT WE HAVE OBTAINED ENOUGH FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE CANADIANS FEEL THAT THEIR TALKS IN HONG KONG HAVE BEEN WORTH WHILE. THE BOARD OF TRADE FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT, AT A MOMENT WHEN MANY ASPECTS OF TEXTILE POLICY ARE UNDER CONSIDERATION ON WHICH MINISTERS WILL HAVE TO TAKE DECISIONS IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, IT WOULD BE WRONG TO RISK PREJUDICING THESE DECISIONS BY ENTERING NOW INTO AN AGREEMENT ON RESTRAINT OF A YEAR'S DURATION. THEY ARE ALSO ACUTELY CONSCIOUS OF THE DANGERS WHICH SUCH AN AGREEMENT MIGHT HAVE IN THE CONTEXT OF SECRETARY STAN'S PROPOSALS.
2. THE BOARD OF TRADE STILL MAINTAIN THAT THE CANADIANS EXAGGERATE THE DAMAGE THEY ARE SUFFERING AND THAT YOU ARE LIKELY TO GET A BETTER DEAL FROM THEM BY NOT SETTLING TOO QUICKLY. THEY ALSO DO NOT RATE VERY HIGH THE RISK OF THE CANDIANS IMPOSING A SURCHARGE IF THEY ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH NEXT WEEK'S TALKS. NEVERTHELESS IF THEY WERE TO DO SO IT WOULD HAVE IMPORTANT REPERCUSSIONS FOR US AS WELL AS FOR YOU. WE OURSELVES ARE ABOUT TO ENTER INTO SOME IMPORTANT AND DELICATE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CANADIANS ON ANOTHER ISSUE NOT CONNECTED WITH HONG KONG. I HOPE THEREFORE THAT YOU WILL GIVE US THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE WARNING IF THERE IS ANY DANGER OF THIS HAPPENING AS WE SHOULD WANT TO REVIEW THE SITUATION URGENTLY
HERE.
3. THE ONLY REALLY NEW POINT IN F.C.0. TELEGRAM NO. 536 IS THE OFFER TO YOUR GOVERNMENT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE OTTAWA TALKS NEXT
MONTH. WHILE I CANNOT, OF COURSE, GUARANTEE THE OUTCOME OF THESE TALKS THE PROPOSAL, INVOLVING ONLY SIX WEEKS' DELAY, SEEMED TO
US SALEABLE TO THE CANADIANS AND I HOPE THAT IT WILL PROVIDE A
PLAUSIBLE REASON FOR YOUR ARGUING THAT YOU CANNOT GO ALL THE WAY
/TO AN AGREEMENT
CONFIDENTIAL
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