RESTRICTED
5. BEFORE MAKING THEIR STATEMENT IN PLENARY YESTERDAY THE CHINESE HAD MENTIONED THE POINT TO THE FRENCH CO-ORDINATOR OF GROUP B
AND HE HAD TRIED TO WORK OUT A SATISFACTORY COMPROMISE WITH THEM
IN PRIVATE. WHEN THEY MADE THEIR STATEMENT IN PLENARY HE EMPHASISED
THAT NO POLITICAL SIGNIFICANCE WAS TO BE ATTACHED TO THE REFERNCE
IN THE GROUP B PAPER AND SAID THAT HE WOULD ASK FOR A
CORRIGENDUM TO BE CIRCULATED TO THAT EFFECT. THIS WOULD BE BASED
ON A FORMULA EMPLOYED FROM TIME TO TIME BY THE UN SECRETARIAT
TO THE EFFECT THAT APPELATIONS USED IN THE DOCUMENT AND THE PRESENTATION OF THE FACTS WHICH IT CONTAINED DID NOT IMPLY ANY GROUP B POSITION AS REGARDS THE JURIDICAL STATUS OF THE COUNTRIES, TERRITORIES, CITIES OR ZONES CONCERNED OR OF THEIR AUTHORITIES, NOR AS REGARDS THEIR FRONTIERS OR BOUNDARIES. THE US DELEGATION MADE NO COMMENT ON THE CHINESE PROTEST.
CO-ORDI-
6. THE CHINESE HAVE MADE NO FURTHER STATEMENT. THE FRENCH NATOR TOLD US TODAY THAT THE REQUESTED CORRIGENDUM WOULD BE CIRCULATED. File
FEELS FAIRLY CERTAIN THAT IN RESPECT OF HONG KONG THE EPISODE CAN NOW BE REGARDED AS CLOSED, THOUGH HE THINKS
IT POSSIBLE THAT THE CHINESE MAY REVERT TO THE MATTER, OF TAIWAN. IF THEY DO, I AM INCLINED TO FAVOUR A SUGGESTION THROWN DUT
BY THE IRISH IN COMMUNITY CO-ORDINATION TO THE EFFECT THAT THE
FIGURES AT PRESENT SHOWN AGAINST TAIWAN SHOULD INSTEAD BE SHOWN
AGAINST UNSPECIFIED QUOTE OTHERS UNQUOTE. UNCTAD LEGAL STAFF
THINK THAT WE SHALL IN FACT HEAR NO MORE OF THE MATTER.
7. AFTER YESTERDAY'S PLEMARY I HAD A SHORT PRIVATE CONVERSATION
WITH THE PRINCIPAL CHINESE DELEGATE. I SAID THAT WE WERE OF COURSE
WELL AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE THEY ATTACHED TO ALLOWING NO
MISUNDERSTANDING TO DEVELOP REGARDING THE STATUS OF HONG KONG
AND THAT THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THEIR COMPLAINT IN THE GROUP B
PAPER CERTAINLY OUGHT NOT TO BE REGARDED AS IMPLYING THE CONTRARY:
THERE HAD BEEN NOTHING DELIBERATE ABOUT THIS FORMULATION. HE APPEARED
TO ACCEPT MY DISCLAIMER IN A GOOD HUMOUR.
2. WE MUST CLEARLY TAKE MORE CARE IN FUTURE WHEN EMPLOYING
IN A BODY OF WHICH CHINA IS A MEMBER MATERIAL PREPARED FOR USE
IN A BODY OF WHICH IT IS NOT.
BOTTOMLEY
FILES
FRD
UND
UND ODM
TRED EID
FED
HK & GD
FS/MR JUDD PS/MR LUARD MR BUTLER
MR WEIR
MR THOMAS
MR HIBBERT
MR SUTHERLAND MR MURRAY
2 RESTRICTED
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION UNCTAD NORTH/SOUTH
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.