TNAG-0170-FCO40-206-British-Trade-Commissioner-1969 — Page 90

copies of course to

am of

had to consult ECGD about this, as well as the

Board of Trade; because any such Question would

answered

New mater

have to be asked by them. At this stage, we have al the reaction of ECGD, which is substantially the same as ours, that a Parliamentary Question Would

awkward

The

ont lime

not be justifice at this stage. I cannot sag that their reasons for reaching this conclusion are

because

See difficulty

the

same as our own they are not. Speaking for

In embarking on Inch an exerms at any time.

A

ourselves, we see du Fargely influenced by the

tut mat are

labond" it and of

fact that We would have to consult the Hong Kong Government before we asked the Qucetion and at

the same time indicate the sort of replies we proposed to give. I am rather afraid that they might interpret the exercise as an attempt to

put the blame on them. ECGD. and for all I know

you yourself might well feel,if the French won the day that the Hong Kong Government was largely

However, we have not taken a for al view to blame. But without going into the argument too cizesip; we would find considerable difficulty in- adopting your proposal. We still have to hear from the Board of Trade about this and when we do

I will write at greater length. Let us hope that we can avoid any difference of opinion between us by not letting the French capture the project!

4.

is

schens

I am sure that you are right to say that the improvements of Kai Tak (another subject on which I have a word to say) are another matter which

Hong Kong feels is not essential in her own interests but of greater importance to ourselves. Unfortunately, this is not a stage in our

Dreamy,

negotiations with the Board of Trade at which to

develop this line of argument too far. It is all very well to say, as I did at a recent meeting with the Treasury, the Board of Trade and ODM, that the

UK stands to benefit greatly from the extension

of the airport, but we lose half the case

possibly the whole of it in these days of financial stringency

Q

-

- and

if we pretend that there is nothing in it for Hong Kong. The Treasury have now asked us to prepare a sort of cost/benefit analysis

demonstrating the value of the exercise to the

Since we could not

Can I move

That the

supplementaries

Curry

boomed be limited in seque

as the question.

But

even if this were substantially Fone are worked

not helps either ow

cations with Hong Kong

Image in the

Colmy by saying

80.

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

Game of

s for

or one cando nd

accept to simplified

a view

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