HKX 121/616/1
REG REGI
IN
C W Roberts Esq CRE4
Department of Trade
1 Victoria Street LONDON SW1
22 JUL!977
HKK 121/611
LAS
21 July 1977
1001
1.
I have discussed with Hugh Arbuthnott your letter to him of 14 July and we have agreed that this is à subject with which I should deal, I agree with you that it is not Derek March's job to defend in detail HKG's position in the MPA negotiations. Indeed, if he were to do so, he could possibly find himself in difficulties with the Governor. Nevertheless, I think that Derek should know what is going on in order that he can, when tackled, be in a position to put forward HMG's case.
2. Because of the fluid state of MFA negotiations it is not possible to give Derek suitable guidance as we can do with more static issues, for anything we write to Derek could well be out of date tomorrow. The best we can do, I think, is to arrange to send him regularly by bag copies of all telegrams and other matters relating to Hong Kong, UK and the MPA. I shall also have prepared and send him some basic MFA briefing.
CC 1
D N March Esq
(Senior British Trade Commisioner)
J Mellon Esq (TRED)`
HJ Arbuthnott Baq (EID)
JA B Stewart
119
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