CONFIDENTIAL
File.
30
CYPHER/CAT A
IMMEDIATE LISBON
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELNO,
340
21 OCTOBER 1969
CONFIDENTIAL.
NEUTRAL
ADDRESSED FCO TEL NO 340 OF 21/10/69 REPEATED TO UKMIS GENEVA AND SAVING TO OSLO, COPENHAGEN, BERNE, HELSINKI, STOCKHOLM, AND VIENNA, YOUR TELEGRAM 154 TO OSLO: IMPORT DEPOSITS.
1 HANDED THE PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE
BOARD OF TRADE AND THE TEXT IN YOUR TEL 152 TO OSLO TO THE
PORTUGUESE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMY, DR. DIAS ROSAS, TODAY
AT 1200 GMT.
2, DR. ROSAS HAVING READ THE MESSAGE SAID THAT HE
MUCH REGRETTED THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT FOUND
IT NECESSARY TO TAKE THIS ACTION. THE PORTUGUESE GOVERNMENT
HAD HOPED THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO THE NOVEMBER
MINISTERIAL MEETING OF EFTA NOT WITH THE PROSPECT OF
DISCUSSING THIS MATTER BUT WITH A PRIOR STATEMENT BY THE
BRITISH GOVERNMENT OF THE ENDING OF THE IMPORT DEPOSITS SCHEME
AFTER ONE YEAR WHICH HE FELT HAD BEEN PROMISED WHEN THE SCHEME
HAD BEEN INSTITUTED,
3. I MADE THE POINTS CONTAINED IN PARAGRAPHS 3 AND 4 OF YOUR TEL
152 TO OSLO BUT THE MINISTER WAS NOT IMPRESSED,
HE SAID THAT WHATEVER REASONS THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT MIGHT
HAVE FOR TAKING THIS DECISION IT WAS ONE THAT THE
THE PORTUGUESE GOVERNMENT REGARDED WITH REGRET, HE
SAID THAT THE PORTUGUESE GOVERNMENT
WOULD CONSIDER THIS QUESTION AND WOULD MAKE THEIR CONSIDERED POSITION CLEAR AT THE EFTA MINISTERIAL MEETING, OR POSSIBLY, THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS, BEFORE THEN.
4. 1 ALSO GAVE A COPY OF THE MESSAGE AND OF THE TEXT
TO THE DEPUTY SECRETARY IN CHARGE OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
IN THE PORTUGUESE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
EXT
F
(26)
CONFIDENTIAL
LAST PADER
/HE
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.