TNAG-0249-FCO40-285-Effect-of-entry-of-UK-into-EEC-on-exports-from-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 163

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CONFIDENTIAL

1 Kanan

Flag A

Flag B

Mr. Ford

Sir C. O'Neill

2.

Hong Kong/C Consultations

En

27

I submit a draft telegram in reply to Hong Kong Telegram 475.

In the course of clearing this with Hong Kong Department

Mr. Laird has suggested that the Hong Kong Administrative

Commissioner in London should be invited to attend briefing

meetings with Commonwealth High Commissioners. He says, uite

rightly, that our negotiations are far more important to ong Kong

than they are to many independent Commonwealth countries, and that

economically Hong Kong is in a different position from any other

dependent territory. He also makes the point that presentationally

we should do everything we can to demonstrate to the people of Hong

Xong that we are consulting with their representatives.

3. hile not disputing these arguments, I do not think

we should ask the Hong Kong Commissioner to these briefing meetings.

we are already inviting the Hong Kong representative in Brussels to

briefing neetings there and it is unlikely their Iondon representative

would learn anything further by attending Commonwealth briefings

hero.

Further, Commonwealth briefings are elready unwieldy and

to add representatives of Hong Kong and perhaps some other dependent

territories would make them even more so. he shall of course be

having consultation with Hong Kong representatives as appropriate

29 we agreed in cur tele ram on consultation with dependent

territories.

4. Mr. Laird has been the attached revised draft telegram and

has no objection to it.

c.c. Mr Laird

Mr Robinson

(A. H. Brind)

28 July 1970

uropean Integration Department

CONFIDENTIAL