TNAG-0385-FCO40-431-Trade-relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-the-EEC-1974 — Page 72

to me, while he could not do anything but express disappointment that it had not been possible to move faster and achieve more on the GS, neither could he subscribe to the view that it was entirelyatisfactory because to have done so would have amounted to confessin that the long song officials had failca in their pressure on the UK Government. But it was not possible (he told me) for him to go so far as to press the Uh case since A sad

this would have run the risk of labelling him as a spokesman Commentary of Un rather than of hong kong.

lie regrets that the press chose to publish only the "black" side of what he had to say but for the reason above he does not feel personally able to make a special effort to try to put the record straight.

Instead he would find it much easier if we could take on trying to get across to the press that the British Government is operating, both in principle and in tactics, in what we

lie has honestly judge to be the best interests of long song. suggested (and I have agreed) that if he does have another press conference one of us should be present to answer points about the UK Government's tactics in the context of our reading of the proper approach to the generally. lle also proposed to refer any press enquiries on this particular aspect to us.

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lthough it may be argued that this is outside our normal terms of reference it is, I think, a situation we have to accept. I have warned frequently in many contexts we are now moving increasingly into the position that ex-patriate Civil Servants in the Hong Kong administration cannot speak up for the British Government if only for fear of appearing less the whole heartedly behind Hong Kong's interests. Unless our case is to go by default then this (BTC) office is the only one that can speak for Britain although we shall, of course, do so in consultation with the Hong Kong officials concerned (and this, as you will see, is what has been happening in this case).

I expect that the occasion for us to say something to the press Clay well arise in the course of next week. "e already have a fair amount of material together in the telegrams which you have been copying to us, and David Jordan himself has provided some useful statistics about the effect on hong kong trade of the improvements so for achieved an the butoirs. If there is any more material that you think we might usefully have I should be grateful if you could send it by telegram, virtually by return. In particular I should welcome guidance on the question "why di d Britain not ask for this question to be dealt with in the 1973 review but merely give notice to raise it in next year's review":. This is being asked by jounalists and industrialists alike who contend that since we entered the C the beginning of this year and the annual review is in September there was ample time for it to be raised in this year's review. I suspect that the

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