TNAG-0239-FCO40-275-Entitlement-of-Hong-Kong-to-generalised-tariffs-preferences--1970 — Page 17

CYPHER/CAT A

IMMEDIATE

TELEGRAM NO 742

CONFIDENTIAL

HNG HÙNG

TO F.C.C.

DATED 23 OCTOBER 1973

285

CONFIDENTIAL 236438Z

[ FRAME

ADDRESSED FCC TELNO 74% OF 23 OCTOBER REPEATED CODEL BRUSSELS.

(285)

MY TELEGRAM 739 WAS ABOUT TO BE DESPATCHED WHEN

CODEL'S 146 TO YOU WAS RECEIVED. I MUST EXPRESS CONSIDERABLE

ANXIETY AT THE DIRECTION NEGOTIATIONS ARE TAKING AND, IN PARTICULAR,

THE PRECIPITANCY WITH WHICH WE SEEM TO BE APPROACHING A

CONFRONTATION ON HONG KONG. WE HAVE NOT SO FAR

BEEN IN A POSITION TO REACH A CONCLUSION ON THE NEGOTIATIONG

POSITION BEST SUITED TO PROTECT HONG KONG'S INTERESTS AND I HAVE

NOT YET BEEN ABLE TO CONSULT MY EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. MY

UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT IT WAS AGREED THAT NO FIRM LINE WOULD BE

TAKEN UNTIL A GENERAL IDEA CF E E C VIEWS AND INTENTIONS

HAD BEEN ELICITED AND THAT THEN CONSULTATIONS WOULD BE HELD IN LONDON ABOUT THE END OF NOVEMBER TO DETERMINE CUR LINE. I

SUGGEST THAT UNTIL THESE CONSULTATIONS HAVE BEEN HELD THE QUESTION

SHOULD DE PRESSED NO FURTHER DY THE BRITISH SIDE, ALTHOUGH THIS

SHOULD NCT OF COURSE, PRECLUDE LISTENING TO ANYTHING THE E E C

WISH TO SAY.

(F C @ PLS PASS IMMEDIATE TO CODEL BRUSSELS)

SIR H.NORMAN-WALKER

[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]

EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND

POLITICAL DISTRIBUTION

E.I.D. H.K.D.

FFSF

CONFIDENTIAL

28.4

860287

ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION

FRAME

ник

HIK 6/22