TNAG-0332-FCO40-368-Visits-of-Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Commonwealth-Af-1972 — Page 177

EN CLAIR

FROM HONG KONG

UNCLASSIFIED [FRAME]

TO ROUTINE FCO TELNO. BIS 1 OF 14 FEBRUARY 1972.

BIS/1/72 SPEECH ONE PARA FOREIGN SECRETARY SIR ALEC

DOUGLAS HYPHEN HOME EXPRESSED HOPE TODAY THAT OVER THE

YEARS BRITAINS ASSOCIATION WITH EUROPEAN ECONOMIC

COMMUNITY WOULD BRING REWARDING PRIZES TO HONGKONG PARA

SPEAKING AT OFFICIAL LUNCHEON IN MANDARIN HOTEL SIR ALEC

POINTED OUT THAT COMMON MARKET

WAS LARGEST TRADING GROUP IN WORLD PARA FOREIGN

SECRETARY SPOKE ABOUT TWO OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS

WHICH HE CONSIDERED AMONG THE MOST IMPORTANT AT PRESENT

TIME PARA THIS WAS ENLARGEMENT OF EUROPEAN ECONOMIC

COMMUNITY AND SEATING OF CHINA IN UNINATIONS STOP BOTH

OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS HE SAID WERE OF PROFOUND SIGNIFICANCE

TO HONGKONG PARA BRITAIN WOULD BECOME AYE FULL MEMBER

OF COMMON MARKET IN UNDER AYE YEAR STOP IN NEGOTIATIONS

FOR ENTRY BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAD KEP IN THE QUOTE

CLOSEST TOUCH UNQUOTES WITH HONGKONG GOVERNMENT AND FOUGHT

HARD FOR HONGKONGS INTERESTS PARA HE TOLD HIS LISTENERS

IN PUBLIC SPEECH BROADCAST AND

TELEVISED BY COLONYS RADIO AND TELEVISION NETWORKS THAT

AYE BRITAIN IN DECLINE COULD NOT REPEAT NOT BE OF USE TO

HONGKONG PARA AYE BRITAIN WITH ASSURANCE OF EXPANDING

ECONOMIC ACTIVITY WOULD BE MUCH TO HONGKONGS ADVANTAGE

PARA FOREIGN SECRETARY SAID LIBERAL TRADING POLICIES

GENERALLY SERVED BRITISH NATIONAL INTERESTS BEST AND

/BRITAIN

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