TNAG-0627-FCO40-775-Effect-of-GATT-Multi-Fibre-Arrangement-on-Hong-Kong-negotiat-1977 — Page 74

GR 3155 FRIORITY

CONFIDENTIAL

ГОР СОРУ

42

CYPHER/CAT A

FM HONG KONG 031029Z

CONFIDENTIAL

TO PRIORITY F.C.O TELNO.562 OF 3 JUNE,

REGI

-8 JUN1977

4KK 121 / 6.0

121/616

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON,

ROUTINE BRUSSELS (FOR BURGESS),

UKMIS GENEVA (FOR MILLS).

YOUR TELNO.414 TO ME.

VISIT OF HONG KONG DELEGATION ABOUT M.F.A.

LAG!

(38) 49

1. WHILE I ACCEPT THAT NOTHING NEW MAY EMERGE FROM THE DISCUSSIONS I HOPE YOU WILL RECONSIDER.

2. THE POSITION AS WE SEE IT IS THAT HMG HAS PUBLICLY ESPOUSED PROPOSALS WHICH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY BELIEVE TO BE INIMICAL TO THEIR INTERESTS AND WHICH WE BELIEVE TO BE UNSOUNDLY BASED. BOTH OFFICIALS AND UNOFFICIALS IN HONG KONG HAVE PUT OUR ARGUMENTS TO YOU THROUGH VARIOUS CHANNELS AND IN WRITING, BUT WE HAVE RECEIVED NO REASONED REPLY OF ANY SORT THAT WE COULD PASS ON TO THE INDUSTRY.

3. THUS WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO ANYTHING TO ALLAY THE ANXIETY WHICH, AS YOU RECOGNISE, EXISTS HERE.

4. NO DOUBT LEADERS OF THE HONG KONG TEXTILE AND GARMENT INDUSTRY ARE UNDER SEVERE PRESSURE TO PUT THEIR CASE TO YOU DIRECTLY. THEIR REPUTATION WITHIN THE INDUSTRY WILL BE GREATLY WEAKENED UNLESS THEY ARE SEEN TO BE DOING EVERYTHING · THEY CAN TO DEFEND THE INDUSTRY'S INTERESTS, IT WOULD THEREFORE BE DIFFICULT TO DISSUADE THEM FROM MAKING THE VISIT.

CONFIDENTIAL

/ 5. IF