1
$752.9
CYPHER/CAT A
ROUTINE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 421 CONFIDENTIAL
[NEUTRAL]
CONFIDENTIAL
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
29 JUNE 1978 AOC do
56
ADDRESSED F C O TELNO 421 CF 29 JUNE R F I BRUSSELS
(FOR DODGE). UKMIS GENEVA, PARIS, BONN, THE HAGUE AND ROME.
BRUSSELS TELEGRAM 19 TO ME.
COTTON TEXTILES: HONG KONG/E E C.
LAST
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YOU WILL HAVE SEEN THE SERIES OF TELEGRAMS CULMINATING WITH BRUSSELS TELEGRAM 19 TO ME WHICH SHOW THE MOVES BY THE EEC TO PRESS HONG KONG INTO NEGOTIATING AN ARTICLE 4 TYPE AGREEMENT ON A BASIS NOT INCONSISTENT WITH THE C T A AND WITHOUT SUPPLYING THE BASIC INFORMATION WHICH WE REGARD AS A PREREQUISITE FOR ANY NEGOTIATIONS. WHILE I AM WELL AWARE OF THE E E C DIFFICULTIES IN FORMULATING A NEGOTIATING POSITION, AND THE CONSEQUENT COMPAR- ATIVE RIGIDITY OF THAT POSITION, I CONSIDER THIS DOES NOT IN ANY WAY JUSTIFY THE HIGH HANDED ATTITUDE BEING ADOPTED. SEE FOR EXAMPLE PARAS 1 AND 2 OF BRUSSELS TELEGRAM 19.
2. THE INFORMATION WE HAVE ASKED FOR AND OVER WHICH THEY REGARD US AS BEING DIFFICULT IS THE MINIMUM REQUIRED TO ENSURE THAT, SO FAR AS WE ARE CONCERNED, THE PRINCIPLES OF THE C T A ARE RESPECTED AND AT LEAST THAT THE E E C LIVE UP TO THEIR MINIMUM OBLIGATIONS IN ARRIVING AT A MUTUALLY ACCEPTABLE ARRANGEMENT SUCH AS IS PERMITTED BY ARTICLE 4. SIMILAR INFORMATION HAS BEEN REQUESTED AND SUPLIED IN PREVIOUS SIMILAR NEGOTIATIONS, INCLUDING THOSE IN THE PAST WITH GERMANY AND THE BENELUX.
3. ERNST'S ALLEGATIONS THAT WE ARE DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH AND ARE ASKING TOO MUCH MAY BE PROMPTED BY THE APPARENT EAGERNESS OF
LIVED IN REGIST BY Nc. $1
CONFIDENTIAL
/OTHER
LHKKG/6
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