TNAG-0248-FCO40-284-Effect-of-entry-of-UK-into-EEC-on-exports-from-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 110

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Mr. J. A. Robinson,

European Integration Dept.

Entry into the European Communities

Negotiating Brief on Commonwealth Questions

1974 जर

I must apologise for not being in a position to

send you any helpful comments about Hong Kong's

position in response to the request in your minute

of 10 April.

2.

I have only just taken over Hong Kong Department

and Mr. Kinnear, the desk officer, is also very new

to the Department.

3. To add to our difficulties we cannot at present

lay our hands on papers dealing with informal

discussions we had with Hong Kong officials under

Sir A. Snelling's chairmanship in, I think, the

autumn of last year. I was shown the record of these

discussions by Mr. Carter before he went off on leave

and I seem to recollect that, apart from the points

made in your draft (paragraph 37), we made much of the

possibility of working towards some kind of trade

agreement between the enlarged Community and Hong Kong.

4. I am very sorry we cannot say more than that at

.this stage. In a week or so we shall, I hope, be

able to contribute something more substantial.

16 April, 1970

(E. 0. Laird)

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Hong Kong Department

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