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CONFIDENTIAL
CYPHER/CAT A
RUNTIME FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TO HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 683
8 OCTOBER 1969
(HKK 6/394/1)
CONFIDENTIAL.
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM WILFORD.
YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER 782. PARAGRAPH 2. NORWEGIAN TEXTILE
NEGOTIATIONS.
IT WAS PERHAPS INEVITABLE THAT ON THIS OCCASION. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS OF INTERPRETATION FOR BOTH OUR REPRESENTATIVES IN RELATION TO THE IMPLICATIONS OF QUOTE ASSOCIATION UNQUOTE. IN ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES WE THINK THAT IT WAS TO THE CREDIT OF BOTH OFFICERS THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE COME AS CLOSE TO AVOIDING THESE PROBLEMS AS THEY EVIDENTLY DID. AT AN EARLIER STAGE FOR EXAMPLE WE WERE PLEASED TO READ PARAGRAPH 3 OF YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER 763.
2. HOWEVER WE DO NOT WISH TO SUGGEST THAT FUTURE OCCASIONS WILL PERFECT THE SORT OF ASSOCIATION AT WHICH WE MUST BOTH AIM, WHEN WE HOLD OUR FURTHER DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE EXTENT OF YOUR NEGOTIATING AUTHORITY THESE MAY REVEAL THAT WHAT WE NEED IS A CLOSER DEFINITION OF ASSOCIATION, HOWEVER I AM BOUND TO SAY THAT WE CANNOT SEE THAT WHAT WE NOW PROPOSE WILL IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCES REFLECT ON YOUR AUTHORITY OR IMPAIR YOUR NEGOTIATING POWER. ALL WE INTEND IS THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE AGREED SETTLEMENT WHICH HONG KONG HAS REACHED WITH THE HORWEGIANS WITH EMPHASIS PLACED ON A FEATURE OF THE AGREEMENT WHICH IS OF PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE TO US. TO REFRAIN FROM TAKING EVEN THIS STEP WOULD BE TO DENY THE BOARD OF TRADE THE EXPRESSION OF THEIR LEGITIMATE INTEREST.
3. IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES AFTER VERY CAREFUL CONSIDERATION WE HAVE INSTRUCTED OSLO TO SPEAK ON THE ABOVE LINES.
LANT
R'F
STEWART
R.F
FILES
H.K.D.
COMMODITIES DEPT. MR. WILFORD
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION U.N.D. 4 COPIES
CONFIDENTIAL
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