CONFIDENTIAL
NEGOTIATE THE BEST TERMS POSSIBLE OUT OF THE COMMUNITY IN THE NEX, ROUND. WE WILL BE PRESSING THE COMMISSION TO MAKE ITS FULL OFFER IN THE NEXT ROUND. BUT I MUST TELL YOU THAT THIS WILL INEVITABLY INVOLVE SOME CUTBACKS FROM 1976 SENDINGS FOR HONG KONG, AS THEY WILL FOR OTHER DOMINANT SUPPLIERS. THIS IS THE BASIS OF THE MANDATE AGREED COLLECTIVELY BY UK MINISTERS AND BY COMMUNITY MINISTERS IN THE COUNCIL. AS YOU ARE AWARE UK MINISTERS WERE AMONG THE STRONGEST ADVOCATES OF GIVING THE COMMISSION A VERY TOUGH MANDATE.
3. FINALLY, I THINK IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WHEN THE FINAL PHASE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN REACHED AND THE COMMUNITY NEGOTIATORS HAVE INDICATED THERE IS NO MORE GIVE IN THEIR POSITION, YOUR NEGOTIATORS SHOULD HAVE CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS THAT IF THEY STILL HAVE MAJOR RESERVATIONS THEY SHOULD NOT BREAK OFF AND PUBLICLY CHARACTERISE THE RESULTS AS UNACCEPTABLE: THEY SHOULD SEEK A PAUSE FOR REFLECTION AND CONSULTATION (INTER ALIA BETWEEN YOU AND US), WE WILL URGE THE SAME COURSE ON THE COMMISSION.
4. BEFORE SPEAKING FURTHER TO THE COMMISSION I WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR URGENT ASSURANCES ON THE HONG KONG SIDE ABOUT THIS STRATEGY BASED ON THE RESUMPTION AND CONDUCT OF THE NEGOTIATIONS.
5. I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS TELEGRAM WITH LORD GORONWY ROBERTS, WHO AGREES WITH IT.
OWEN
FILES EID (E)
HK & GD
PS
PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS PS/MR JUDD
PS/PUS
SIR A DUFF MR FRETWELL MR MURRAY
FILES
MR HARRIS CABINET OFFICE
MISS MACFARLANE CRE3 DOT
MISS LOWNE CT DIV DOI
- 2m CONFIDENTIAL
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