TNAG-0345-FCO40-381-UK-and-Hong-Kong-talks-on-cotton-textiles-1972 — Page 82

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Men Dodds Commodities

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Foreign and Commonwealth Office

London S.W.1

From the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

35

27 January, 1972

RECEIVED IN

REGISTRY No.51

-21.972

H KK6/545/1

You will have seen Sir Murray MacLehose's telegram No. 72 about Hong Kong exports of cotton textiles to the United Kingdom.

I

I am most anxious that we should find some way of softening the impact on Hong Kong (the only Crown Colony significantly affected) of our decision to have both quotas and the tariff. have been wondering therefore whether it would be possible for us to go half way to the Hong Kong position. It is,

It is, of course, particularly important that we should dispose of this matter, if at all possible, before the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary visits Hong Kong next month (he is due to leave London on 4 February and will be in Hong Kong from 13 - 15 February).

In the circumstances I would much appreciate an opportunity of discussing the problem with you. We have very little time and I hope we shall be able to arrange a meeting at an early date.

Sir John Eden Bt., M.P.,

Minister for Industry,

Dept. of Trade and Industry, 1 Victoria Street,

SW1H OET.

Anthony Royle