TNAG-0627-FCO40-775-Effect-of-GATT-Multi-Fibre-Arrangement-on-Hong-Kong-negotiat-1977 — Page 78

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Mr M

Highton

Mr Stewart

Munte

Dr. 16.

Reference.....

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DH, Tet to issue

тав

FROPOSED VISIT BY DELEGATION FROM HONG KONG TEXTILE AND GARMENT ASSOCIATIONS

1.

Зар

I am not happy with the proposed visit by the chairmen of leading textile and garment associations to London. My immediate reaction to telegram no 548 from Hong Kong is that once again David Jordan is practising overkill.

2. Far from advancing Hong Kong's interests the proposed visit would harm them. Certainly Mr Meacher is unlikely to give them any comfort for he, according to the DOT, would like to see a tighter MFA. Similarly, Sir Peter Carey cannot give them any encouragement. This, I think, is borne aut by the tone of his recent letter to David Jordan.

3. I have consulted DOT who are opposed to a visit. They point out that the Hong Kong viewpoint is well-known to them. Hong Kong officials in Geneva and Brussels are regularly in contact with DOT officials and, as you know, David Jordan led a delegation of officials to London to discuss the MFA some weeks ago. At this meeting he explained clearly and forcefully the Hong Kong stand- point.

4.

I have been unable to contact the DOT official concerned as they are in Brussels attending the meeting on textile business but I am sure that they too will wish to discourage this visit.

I suggest that we send a telegram to Hong Kong to warn them off and enclose a draft.

5.

38

40

RECTBY P.. 51

-3 JUN1977

Toffer

T Duffy

31 May 1977

HKK 121 6161 K 245

Hong Kong & General Dept

233 4377

Encl

1. Mr Duffy and I discussed the idea of trying to put off the delegation and I agree that we should telegraph to Hong Kong along the lines he has suggested. I have, however, amended the draft telegram since, for example, I do not think we can plead the "imminence of the Parliamentary recess" in the case of a visit in the third week of June. That will be a week after Parliament has returned from the Whitsun recess and probably about 7 or 8 weeks before the summer recess begins.

2.

Mr Stern, EID(E), told me yesterday afternoon that Miss Lowne, DOI, had telephoned him to ask what the FCO wanted her

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