TNAG-0237-FCO40-273-Trade-relations-between-EEC-and-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 71

CONFIDENTIAL

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(A) WE HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED A FULLY DOCUMENTED REQUEST, WHICH

WE SHALL REQUIRE TIME TO STUDY SEMI COLON

(B) WE AWAIT THE ASSURANCE REFERRED ABOVE WHICH WE WOULD EXPECT

TO BE IN THE FORMAL REQUEST SEMI COLON

(C) WE BELIEVE THE PRIMARY NEGOTIATION WILL TAKE SEVERAL DAYS

AND WILL HAVE TO BE FOLLOWED ACCORDING TO ERNST HIMSELF -

BY FOUR SUB-NEGOTIATIONS WITH MEMBER STATES ON ADMINISTRATIVE

ARRANGEMENTS SEMI COLON

(D)

WE HAVE OTHER NEGOTIATING COMMITMENTS TO FIT IN AND ERNST

HAS INDICATED THE EEC WOULD WISH US TO GO TO BRUSSELS (NOT THAT

WE NECESSARILY WOULD) SEMI COLON

(E) WE SHALL NOT BE CLOSING DOWN IN AUGUST BUT NO DOUBT THE

COMMISSION WILL SEMI COLON

(F) IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO NEGOTIATE SUCH AN EXTENSIVE (AND NOVEL)

AGREEMENT IN SEPTEMBER AND IMPLEMENT IT FROM 1ST OCTOBER.

3. THE GERMAN CONSUL GENERAL WAS ADVISED SOME WEEKS AGO THAT WE

(AND, WE UNDERSTOOD, THE COMMISSION) SAW MERIT IN A SIMPLE

THREE MONTH EXTENSION. THE MESSAGE WAS CONVEYED BACK TO BONN

AND WE DOUBT IF WE NEED TAKE ANY MORE FORMAL ACTION WITH THE

GERMANS UNTIL ERNST REACTS TO YOUR APPROACH.

14.

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CONFIDENTIAL