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proposals to the Council of Ministers with whom the final decision must rest.
MULTI-NATIONAL MULTI FIBRE AGREEMENT
The Hong Kong officials had told Sir Christopher Soames that while they welcomed the Multi-National Agreement they were concerned about the way in which this might be translated into bilateral agreements. There were some restrictions that they would not want to see built into the bilateral agreements and they
were concerned about the sort of materials that might be covered by them; in particular they would not want to see restrictions placed on materials without proof of disruption of the market or to have a freezing of the present trade pattern. These attitudes would be reflected in their discussions for agreements with the EEC which they welcomed in principle.
Sir Christopher Soames did not indicate what reply he had made on this.
STATUS VIS A VIS EEC
Sir Christopher Soames had confirmed that Hong Kong's status had a negative definition (ie in the sense that it was not specified) in the Treaty of Accession. It was not an Associated state nor was it a party to the Treaty.
Nevertheless the Commission were prepared to adopt a pragmatic approach in maintaining liaison with Hong Kong. They would always be prepared to see the Hong Kong Government's representative from the British Permanent Representative's Office in Brussels and when talking with him would assume - without specifically asking him that he came with the approval of the British Government and that whatever he was raising had their approval.
None of the Representatives of the Nine raised with Sir Christopher Soames the question of the institutional arrangements in Hong Kong and this was not dis- cussed except when Sir Christopher, Soames mentioned how useful the reports were from the Commercial Counsellors and clearly implied that it was expected that they would continue when he suggested that henceforth they should also cover the question of Macao (see below).
In general discussion the following points were raised by the Representatives of the Nine:
HONG KONG REPRESENTATION IN FRANCE
The French Consul General said that he thought it might help a closer understanding of Hong Kong's problems on trade matters if Hong Kong were to have a representative in the British Embassy in Paris as they have in Brussels and Geneva. He referred also to Hong Kong representation in Italy and other parts of Europe but from further discussion after the meeting it was clear that he was there referring to TDC representation. The French Consul General said that it was unsatisfactory that at present the link was only one way.
Sir Christopher Soames said that he assumed the initiative would lie with the Hong Kong Government in consultation with the UK Government who must in the last alanysis approve of the proposal not the least because it was an unusual arrange- ment in both constitutional and practical terms. He pointed out, however, that
the Hong Kong /
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