A
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Sir L. Moon
Miss Deas
Mr Royle agrees Wh
Cokied 6 HKK6/04/1
UK Relations with Hong Kong: Textiles
62
For
The Americans have been attempting for well over a year to restrain in one way or another imports of non-cotton textiles. a long time they concentrated on the Japanese. The negotiations between the Americans and the Japanese finally broke down about two months ago but, Finally, the Americans then agreed to quadrupartite discussions in Geneva (the UK, the EEC, the USA and Japan). copy of the brief for our Delegation is attached. The Hong Kong view is set out in paragraphs 22 - 24.
A
At the request of the Governor, Mr. Sorby, the Director General of Trade and Commerce in the Government of Hong Kong, discussed the
situation with representatives of the Board of Trade and Ministry of
374) Technology on 21 July. The record of that discussion is attached.
In our telegram to Hong Kong No. 462 of 10 July we said, inter (349)
alia, that we saw advantage in holding the Four-Power meeting first
and awaiting its outcome before Hong Kong entered into bilateral negotiations with the Americans. At that time Mr. Royle sent a personal telegram to the Governor (copies of this were not circulated to other departments in Whitehall).
D(350)
183) (186
E & F
The outcome of the Four-Power talks (held on 31 July/1 August) is set out in UKMIS Geneva telegrams Nos. 590 and 596.
The problem now is to decide what to do about Hong Kong.
Recommendation
I recommend that the three telegrams of which drafts are
attached be sent to Hong Kong.
Background
These three telegrams were drafted after a long meeting in
Mr. Hughes' room in the Board of Trade yesterday afternoon. They
have now been cleared with both the Board of Trade and the Ministry of
Technology.
Narin.
(E. 0. Laira)
4 August, 1970
Hong Kong Department
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.