CYPHER/CAT A
IMMEDIATE GOVERNOR HONG KONG
TELELGRAM NUMBER 568
AECRET.
FOR CARTER FROM GOVERNOR,
YOUR TELEGRAMS 465 AND 466.
U.K, TEXTILE COUNCIL REPORT.
SECRET
TOP COPY
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
18 JULY 1969,
INFORMATION IN YOUR TELEGRAMS UNDER REFERENCE HAS, AS YOU WILL IMAGINE, CREATED SEVERE DIFFICULTIES FOR US COMING AS IT DID JUST BEFORE MEETING OF TEXTILES ADVISORY BOARD. THIS MEETING WAS SUPPOSED TO HEAR VIEWS OF MEMBERS FOLLOWING CONSULTATIONS WITH THEIR INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATIONS AND TO CONCERT ARRANGEMENTS FOR DELEGATION TO LEAVE FOR LONDON OVER WEEKEND,
2. THE NEWS IN YOUR TELEGRAMS, HOWEVER, LED US TO AGREE THAT A DELEGATION NOW WOULD BE PREMATURE AND ALSO TO FEEL THAT IT WOULD RESULT IN ADVERSE, RATHER THAN FAVOURABLE POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES HERE, WITH ANNOUNCEMENT BEING MADE VERY SOON AFTER THEIR ARRIVAL IN U.K. BUT AS JORDAN COULD NOT DIVULGE FULL REASONS FOR THIS, THE MEETING WAS AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT ONE, THE BOARD FELT THAT
GOVERNMENT HAD READILY AGREED AT THE MEETING ON 15 JULY TO SEND A
DELEGATION AND THAT THREE DAYS LATER HAD CHANGED ITS ATTITUDE FOR
NO APPARENT REASON, THEY CLEARLY SUSPECTED THAT THEY WERE NOT
BEING TOLD THE WHOLE TRUTH.
3. IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES, JORDAN, WHO HAD TO GIVE SOME EXPLANATION TO INDUCE THE BOARD TO DROP THE DELEGATION IDEA, HAD TO INFORM THEM
THAT WE HAD BEEN ASSURED THAT ANY DECISION TAKEN BY H.M.G, WOULD
NOT AFFECT THE IMMEDIATE PATTERN OF TRADE AND THAT THERE WOULD BE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONSULTATION WITH THE COMMONWEALTH BEFORE
IMPLEMENTATION. THEY TOOK THIS TO MEAN THAT PRESENT ARRANGMENTS
WOULD NOT BE CHANGED BEFORE THEY EXPIRED IN DECEMBER 1979 AND
JORDAN DID NOT DENY THIS.
4. BOARD STILL AT FIRST FELT, HOWEVER, THAT THEIR POSITION VIS-A¤• VIS THE INDUSTRY COULD ONLY BE MAINTAINED BY SENDING A DELEGATION
LAST
Copies sal b Sis A. Smellin Sir L Manoa n Whitehead,
REF.
KÉXI
REF.
02.17
SECRET
/TO LONDON
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No.51
21 JUL 1969
HKK6/548/8.
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