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agreed that prior talks seemed sensible.
4. Mr Jordan referred to the suggestion by Sir T Brimelow made
when the latter was in Hong Kong, that it would help Hong Kong's
position in the Community if she were to make her own case more
widely known in Member capitals. Mr Royle suggested that it
might be possible for one officer in the commercial sections of
each of our Embassies in the Community to be nominated to look
after Hong Kong's interest. He said that this possibility should
be examined by the appropriate Foreign and Commonwealth Office
departments, and if adopted he thought it essential that the Hong
Kong Government should arrange for the officer concerned to pay a
visit of at least a week's duration to Hong Kong to acquaint
himself with the local scene. Mr Jordan thought this would be
possible. Mr Royle emphasised that this suggestion would need
careful consideration and he did not think it would be possible
to appoint more personnel to our Embassies to undertake this
work. Mr Jordan made it clear that any lobbying carried out by
Hong Kong would be with the prior approval of the United Kingdom
authorities.
5. Mr Jordan asked why the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
considered that in the context of the European Economic Community
Hong Kong should be regarded as taking up part of the United
Kingdom's reservoir of negotiating strength. He felt that it was
neither in the United Kingdom's nor Hong Kong's interest for
Hong Kong to be treated in this way. Mr Royle said that it had
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