TNAG-0632-FCO40-780-Effect-of-GATT-Multi-Fibre-Arrangement-on-Hong-Kong-negotiat-1977 — Page 40

Flags A & B

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375

Mr Quantrill

CONFIDENTIAL

IF Quay (111) Dexcused

K 246

Now

HONG KONG AND THE MFA

1.

عليه

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rech see teh

3857

کہا

Reference.

НКК 121

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(375)

Hong Kong telno 1227 (copy attached) takes us to task for not having replied to two earlier telsno 1082 and 1215.

2.

I cannot interpret any part of telno 1082 as calling for a reply. As for the latter telegram, certainly a reply was called for. This you will no doubt recall, was the starting point for the assurances given by Mr Stern of EID to the Governor. If these assurances had been agreed there would, probably, have been no call for a telegraphic reply. In the event Mr Stern had misunderstood our position. Putting this error right took most of Thursday 1 December and it was hoped that at 9.30 on the following day the bilateral agreement would be initialled. In the circumstances EID, both Mr Stern and Mr Jenkins felt, and I agreed, that the wisest course was total silence from us lest further misunderstandings occured. As it happened the initialling of the agreement was held up for another day. Nevertheless it is fair to say that events moved too quickly for a reply to be sent, which would have been fully explanatory and up to date.

3. I attach a draft telegram which has been cleared with EID.

6 December 1977

ལེགས་ཆ་ན་ན་ཆ་

J Thompson

идии

K 245

Hong Kong & General Department

CODE 18-77

SS 10/76

CONFIDENTIAL

£90

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