TNAG-0464-FCO40-529-Entitlement-of-Hong-Kong-to-EEC-Generalised-Scheme-of-Prefer-1974 — Page 37

Reference.....

(167)

Mr Stuart

Mr

THE HONG KONG MEMORANDUM

125/%

Thanks

Manorandu "is now

I and FCO

UKR

to the

1. At the preliminary meeting of DOT representatives this afternoon to consider the draft Memorandum which Hong Kong is proposing to def EEC Commission, it was unanimously agreed that thesaft would have to be considerably modified in order not to run the risk of offending certain EEC circles. We agreed that, provided most of paragraph 5 was deleted, there would probably not be any great harm in a watered-down version being sent to the Commission if this is what the Hong Kong Government wished to do.

2.

The subsequent conversation with Mr Dorward and Mr Mills, which occupied 11⁄2 hours, was directed at putting our views over to them. The Hong Kong representatives argued their case with great force and conviction, maintaining that they could not see why the Memorandum, more or less as drafted, could be held to be offensive or cause resentment. They stuck to this position throughout and the meeting ended by Mr Dorward saying that they would report our conversation in full to Mr Jordan to seek his further views.

3. I formed the impression however that, provided our objections are pressed in private conversation with Mr Jordan, the Hong Kong side will in fact be prepared to modify their attitude, at any rate to the extent of suppressing the veiled threat of an agreement negotiated under Article 3 of the MFA. After the Hong Kong represen- tatives had left, I told Mr Roberts that Mr Jordan had appointments to see Sir D Watson and Mr Marshall tomorrow, which would provide a further occasion to make our point of view known to him. No doubt you also intend to work on Mr Jordan if the opportunity should present itself during tomorrow's lunch engagement.

23 October 1974

Hanna

Hong Kong.& Indian Ocean Dept

RECEIVED IN

REG

2300