PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
anything except textiles, the position might well have been different; but Hong Kong is unfortunately regarded as such a threat in this field, and is indeed
Lime of so strong, that the event can hardly hope to pass uncriticised. Your own position is slightly different. Although you are a British Civil Servant, your duty is clearly to Hong Kong and I see no reason to reconsider the approval of your visit which we have already given.
3.
One idea that occurred to us and which we
have cleared in a preliminary way with Lord Goronwy- Roberts, is that you might ask a member of the Royal Family to your show in Paris instead. This would not be open to quite the same objections of competition with UK manufacturers, though it would probably not be possible for them to use the Queen's Flight for the purpose. We ought to be able to justify helping Hong Kong to increase its exports to the EEC countries and this would of course provide you with a talking point in Hong Kong to set against the GSP and the forthcoming negotiations under the MFA. Andrew Stuart has spoken of this idea as a hypothetical possibility to the Embassy in Paris as well as to the DOI and DOT. It is only fair to tell you that all of them had reservatione, principally arising from the fact that it recently proved impossible to find a Royal guest for a different British clothing show in Paris none of them rejected the idea out of hand.
4.
y to
resentations
-; that it would be difficult for a Royal to attend Your show without also visiting the British stands at
Unfortunately, however, even if you wanted to pursue this idea, Princess Alexandra herself would not be able to go to Paris, because of her family commitments.
to clear the idare
If, however, you would like us to try another member in whit shall, and, if this is Porsif to ask anotha, membes of the Royal Family (perhaps Princess Margaret), no
doubt you will let us know? I have, of course, no idea whether any of them could accept in the limited time available, but we could but try.
the Prêt à porter, which might itself be difficult for security reasons; and finally that
it would have to be considered as
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
of do general patter
of Royal voits to cafee
on which the Frunch Cortinat have to be consulted.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.