CYPHER/CAT A
CONFIDENTIAL
134
FRIORITY HONG KONG TO FOREIGN AND COMFICITEALTH OFFICE
TELNO 791
18 NOVEMBER 1970
CONFIDENTIAL 1807002
FRANE
ADDRESSED F C TELNO 791 CF 18 NOVEMBER R F I TOKYO, WASHINGTON, UKHIS GENEVA, UKDEL BRUSSELS AND AMBASSADOR BRUSSELS. (FOR
DODGE)
DAHRENDORE'S VISIT,
Guž
142) 4 (146
THIS WENT OFF WELL ON THE WHOLE IN SPITE OF ITS BREVITY AND
AWKWARD TINING. IN GENERAL WE ATTEMPTED TO EDUCATE HIM AND HIS
STAFF ON HONG KONG'S SITUATION AND THE PROBLEMS WE FACE, RATHER
THAN ARGUE SOLUTIONS. HE CLEARLY ACCEPTED, AND WAS IMPRESSED BY, HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC (AND FOLITICAL) VULNERABILITY IN THE
CONTEXT OF BRITAIN'S ENTRY AND MORE PARTICULARLY OF THE G.P.S.
WHILE HE RULED OUT ANY FORM OF FORMAL ASSOCIATION, IN A PRESS
CONFERENCE AS WELL AS PRIVATELY, HE GAVE THE IMPRESSION THAT THE
E E C WERE WELL DISPOSED AND ANXIOUS TO FIND ANY PRACTICABLE SOLUTION
TO THE PROBLEM OF PROTECTING HONG KONG'S INTERESTS, AND THAT HE BELIEVED THAT ANY SUCH SOLUTION MUST BE FOUND THROUGH SOME
ADAPTATION OF THE G P S.
2. WHEN HIS ATTENTION WAS DRAWN TO PROBLEMS OF DISCRIMINATORY
COMPETITION FROM OUR RAPIDLY DEVELOPING COMPETITORS SUCH AS
TAIWAN, SINGAPORE AND SOUTH KOREA, HE SAID THAT THE E EC VIEW
WAS THAT THE G P S WAS NOT INTENDED FOR THE BENEFIT OF
L.D.C.'S WHO WERE ALREADY SUCCESSFULLY DEVELOPING AND THAT IT
WAS PROBABLE THAT, IF HONG KONG, WERE EXCLUDED, TAIWAN, SINGAPORE AND SOUTH KOREA WOULD ALSO BE EXCLUDED, AT LEAST IN RESPECT OF TEXTILES SEMICOLON SUCH EXCLUSIONS WOULD BE POLITICALLY USEFUL
IN ANY CASE IN PLACATING THE E E C'S TEXTILE INDUSTRY WHO WERE
RESENTFUL AT E E C INCLUSION OF TEXTILES IN THEIR OFFER
WHEN U.K. AND U.S. WERE EXCLUDING THEM.
3. ALTHOUGH HE MENTIONED THE E E C WORKING GROUP ON HONG KONG, HE ARPEARED TO EXPECT, AND TO PREFER, THAT THE NEXT INITIATIVE, AND DETAILED PROPOSALS, SHOULD COME FROM BRITAIN
•
MKK 6/6
CONFIDENTIAL
/4. HE
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.