TNAG-0237-FCO40-273-Trade-relations-between-EEC-and-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 69

CONFIDENTIAL

U.K.MISSION GENEVA TELNC. 25 TO HONG KONG

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8. YOU MAY THINK IT WORTHWHILE TO CONSIDER WHETHER, DESPITE THE ABSENCE OF THE ASSURANCES WE HAVE SOUGHT, IT MIGHT BE GOOD TACTICS

TO ACCEPT THE INVITATION TO NEGOTIATE. THIS WOULD GIVE US THE

OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE BEFORE THE WHOLE E E C TEAM ( I E

INCLUDING REPRESENTATIVES OF ALL MEMBER STATES) THAT WE ARE READY

TO REACH A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION. WE MIGHT GAIN MORE SUPPORT

FROM MEMBER STATES IF WE WENT TO BRUSSELS AND TALKED THAN IF

COMMISSION COULD SAY TO MEMBER STATES QUOTE HONG KONG HAS REFUSED

TO NEGOTIATE UNLESS WE GUARANTEE THEM WHAT THEY WANT BEFORE WE

START UNQUOTE, WHICH IS, I SUSPECT, THE LINE ERNST WOULD TAKE WITH

THEM.

9. AS I RECALL IT, WE DID INDEED ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE BENELUX IN VERY SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES, AND I FEAR THEY WOULD THINK

IT UNREASONABLE OF US TO REFUSE TO MEET THE COMMUNITY'S

NEGOTIATIONS. FURTHERMORE, DESPITE OUR EARLIER INSISTENCE ON QUOTE SPECIFIC INDICATIONS UNQUOTE, WE HAVE JUST COMPLETED

NEGOTIATION WITH THE US WITHOUT ANY BEING PROVIDED BEFOREHAND.

F C O PASS TO HONG KONG UKDEL EEC BRUSSELS, BRUSSELS FOR DODGE

BONN PARIS THE HAGUE AND ROME ALL PRIORITY

SIR E MELVILLE

[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]

INTERNATIONAL TRADE DISTRIBUTION

HONG KONG DEFT

CONFIDENTIAL

ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION HONG KONG INT. TRADE