TNAG-0237-FCO40-273-Trade-relations-between-EEC-and-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 39

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THIS STATEMENT TO BE SUPPORTED BY STATISTICS SHOWING E.E.C.

IMPORTS, PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION. TO PRE-EMPT A CURT DISMISSAL

OF THIS REQUEST AND FURTHER ACCUSATIONS OF UNREASONABLENESS,

COULD UKDEL EEC BE INSTRUCTED CONCURRENTLY TO MAKE A FORMAL

STATEMENT TO THE COMMISSION EXPRESSING H.M. GOVERNMENT'S SUPPORT

FOR THE HONG KONG POSITION?

THESE

4. 1 TAKE A VERY SERIOUS VIEW OF THE E.E.C. ATTITUDE.

ARE THE FIRST FORMAL DEALINGS WHICH HONG KONG HAS HAD WITH THE

COMMISSION AND I CONSIDER IT ESSENTIAL WE GET OFF ON THE RIGHT

FOOT. IF WE ALLOW OURSELVES TO BE DENIED OUR RIGHTS AND HAVE OUR

REASONABLE REQUESTS BRUSHED ASIDE AT THIS STAGE, THE PRECEDENT

COULD BE EXTREMELY HARMFUL IN OTHER CONTEXTS.

5. EVEN IF THIS SUGGESTED COURSE OF ACTION IS PURSUED, PROMPTLY

I AM DOUBTFUL IF TIME CAN BE FOUND FOR NEGOTIATIONS BEFORE THE

AUGUST VACATIONS. WE HAVE OTHER COMMITTMENTS IN CANADA IN THE

WEEK BEGINNING 20TH JULY BUT IF THE E.E.C. RESPONDED QUICKLY

WITH THE REQUIRED FIGURES WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO MANAGE THE WEEK

BEGINNING 27TH JULY IN BRUSSELS. NO MENTION NEED BE MADE OF

DATES, HOWEVER, UNTIL E.E.C. RESPOND.

FCO PLEASE PASS PRIORITY UKDEL EEC, BRUSSELS, UKMIS GENEVA,

BONN, THE HAGUE, PARIS AND ROME.

SIR D. TRENCH

[REPEATED AS REQUESTED].

INTERNATIONAL TRADE DISTRIBUTION:

HONG KONG DEPT

ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION: HONG KONG INT. TRA DE

COPIES TO:

MR. NICOLL, BOT

MR. DUNKETT, BOT

MR. GREGORY, MIN TECH, VICTORIA ST.

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