TNAG-0246-FCO40-282-Imports-of-textiles-from-Hong-Kong-to-UK-1970 — Page 77

Notes on Points discussed in Commerce & Industry Department at 10.45 a.m. on

Saturday. 11 April. 1970

Present:

Mr. K.M. Wilford, C.M.G.

Mr. T.D. Sorby

Mr. E. P. Ho

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Foreign & Commonwealth Office

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Commerce & Industry Department

Commerce & Industry Department

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Counsellor, Hong Kong Commercial Affairs, Brussels

1.

Sorby explained that with the ending of the transitional period in the evolution of the E.E.C.'s Common Commercial Policy, the participation by the E.E.C. in the extension to the Cotton Textiles Arrangement (involving the need for Hong Kong to negotiate direct with the E.E.C. in future), H.M.G.'s impending entry negotiations into E.E.C., and the move by the UKDEL into more spacious accommodation, all indicated the desirability of switching Dodge's attachment from the Embassy to Belgium to the UKDEL to EEC. Wilford advised that it would be desirable for this to be raised in d/o correspondence with F.C.O. in the first instance.

Keeping Hong Kong informed of vital international trade developments

2.

Ho mentioned that considerable uneasiness and even dismay had been felt in Hong Kong over its initial exclusion from information concerning :-

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

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the draft of the Prime Minister's letter to President Nixon especially as the first draft apparently included a revival of the Article XIX working party idea with all· its dangers. for Hong Kong;

the Trezise approach;

President Nixon's reply to the Prime Minister (even when disclosure to the Japanese was being contemplated).

Wilford stressed that the handling of the Prime Minister's personal correspondence always needed special care; the delay over (ii) was due to it being a non-starter from the outset, and also to the request by Trezise for Hong Kong's exclusion. He thought (iii) could only have arisen because of an oversight. He would, however, look into the matter. He also added that a recent letter had asked all British Overseas posts to forward relevant general economic information to Hong Kong. Ho said he had noticed the receipt of papers from various posts and the Department was most grateful for the response by these posts to the F.C.0. request.

Heads of Agreement: Wide-Sheeting Growth

3.

Ho referred to Jordan's d/o letters to, and discussion in London with, the Hong Kong Department subsequent to our receipt of Saving Despatch No. 712 of 20 December 1968 (HKK 6/548/1). He said that the Department had no indication of any Hong Kong Department conclusion in response to these d/o approaches. Although wide- sheeting growth for 1970 had become a non-problem by reference to

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