TNAG-0163-FCO40-199-Export-of-textiles-to-Norway-and-Sweden-1969 — Page 145

CYPHER CATA

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PRIORITY UK MISSION GENEVA TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE PRIORITY UK MISSION GENEVA TELNO. 5 TO HONG KONG 10 FEBRUARY 1969 CONFIDENTIAL [NEUTRAL]

ADDSD TO GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELNO. 5 OF 10 FEBRUARY REPTD FOR INFMN ROUTINE TO FCO AND STOCKHOLM

MYTEL A

SWEDEN

57

FOLLOWING FROM JONES.

FURTHER TO PARAS 5 AND 6 OF TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE DE GEER AND I MET TODAY AT SWEDISH MISSION TO INITIAL DRAFT LETTER FORMALLY NOTIFYING RESTRAINTS, TEXT OF WHICH HAD BEEN AGREED BY SWEDISH GOVERNMENT OVER WEEKEND. I REPEATED THAT THE ARRANGEMENT WAS AD REFERENDUM ON OUR SIDE AND THAT DEFINITIVE NOTIFICATION WOULD BE ARRANGED IN HONG KONG WITH CONSUL GENERAL.

2. DE GEER ALSO CAVE ME A LETTER ACKNOWLEDGING JORDAN'S LETTER OF 7 FEBRAURY ABOUT THE RESUMPTION OF ISSUE OF EA'S FOR SHIRTS (764), THIS GIVES ALL CLEAR FOR RESUMING EA'S. IN ADDITION, HE HANDED ME ANOTHER LETTER ADDRESSED TO JORDAN WHICH SETS DOWN IN WRITING THE STATEMENT MADE BY THE SWEDISH DELEGATION AT THE TALKS THAT THE RESTRAINT LEVELS AGREED ON 462 AND 751 SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A PRECEDENT FOR FIXING LEVELS ON THESE ITEMS IN ANY FUTURE ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN THE TWO PARTIES. IN ACCEPTING THIS LETTER I FORMALLY REPEATED OUR ORIGINAL REPLY, NAMELY, THAT WE TOOK NOTE OF THIS STATEMENT AND ADDED THAT WE, FOR OUR PART, COULD HARDLY BE EXPECTED TO CONCUR IN THIS VIEW. DE GEER AGREED BUT SAID THEY WANTED THEIR VIEWS ON THIS POINT CLEARLY ON RECORD. HE ACCEPTED THAT JORDAN MAY WISH TO REPLY TO HIS LETTER THROUGH

CONSUL GENERAL.

3. ON PUBLICATION DE GEER SAID THAT IF POSSIBLE SWEDES WOULD PREFER IT IF ANNOUNCEMENT OF LEVELS COULD BE AVOIDED. I REPLIED I WOULD REPORT THIS BUT COULD NOT PROMISE ANYTHING. WE AGREED THAT DATE OF PRESS RELEASES WOULD RE CO-ORDINATED THROUGH CONSUL GENERAL. DE GEER THOUGHT IT WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL IF CONSUL GENERAL COULD BE NOTIFIED OF DATE OF RESUMPTION OF ISSUE OF

EA'S ON 764.

4. {GP UNDEC] DOCUMENTS BEING FORWARDED BY AIRMAIL.

TO FCO ONLY

5. PLEASE PASS ADVANCE COPIES TO CARTER (HONG KONG DEPT) AND GOLDSMITH (BOARD OF TRADE)

FCO PASS HONG KONG AND STOCKHOLM

57

;

RECEIVED IN ARC

/13 1969

S No.31

617601

SIR E MELVILLE [ADVANCE COPIES PASSED AS REQUESTED] INTERNATIONAL TRADE DISTRIBUTION

H.K.D. W.E.D.

AAAAA

TREPEATED AS REQUESTED],

CONFIDENTIAL

HKK