TNAG-0243-FCO40-279-Conduct-of-Hong-Kong-commercial-relations-1973 — Page 140

IOP COPY

CONFIDENTI AL

CYPHER/CAT A

PRIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

To

HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 514

4 AUGUST 1973

(HK)

CONFIDENTIAL

NEUTRAL

ADDRESSED TO HONG KONG (PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR) TELEGRAM NUMBER 514

OF 4 AUGUST REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO WASHINGTON, UKMIS GENEVA, YOUR TELEGRAM NO 423.

TEXTILES.

MIFT CONTAINS TEXT OF DRAFT DESPATCH IMPLEMENTING PROPOSALS

OUTLINED IN FCO TELEGRAM NO 415. WE SHOULD BE GLAD OF YOUR VIEWS

BEFORE WE SUBMIT DRAFT TO MINISTERS FOR APPROVAL.

2. OUR TELEGRAM NO 513 AMPLIFIES REPORT ON FOUR-POWER TALKS

CONTAINED IN GENEVA TELEGRAM TO FCO NO 598 OF 1 AUGUST. IF AFTER

REVIEWING SITUATION YOU STILL FEEL THAT IT WOULD BE IN BEST

INTERESTS OF HONG KONG TO SEEK TO NEGOTIATE BILATERAL AGREEMENT

WITH AMERICANS AND IF AMERICAN REACTION TO APPROACH MADE IN GENEVA

IS REASONABLY ENCOURAGING WE PROPOSE TO SUBMIT YOUR VIEWS TO

MINISTERS AT THE SAME TIME AS WE SUBMIT DRAFT DESPATCH. IF

MINISTERS AGREE THAT YOU SHOULD PROCEED TO DISCUSSIONS WITH THE

UNITED STATES AND ACCEPT THE GENERAL LINE IN THE DESPATCH, ANY

DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND THE USA WOULD THEN BE WITHIN

FRAMEWORK OF NEW ARRANGEMENTS SET OUT IN DRAFT DESPATCH.

DOUGLAS-HOME

INTERNATIONAL TRADE DISTRIBUTION:

H.K.D.

COMMODITIES D.

T.F.D.

E.I.D.

AMERICAN D.

CONFIDENTI AL