GRS 180
IMMEDIATE
VP CAT A
FM PEKING 260725Z JAN
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 44 OF 25 JAN.
HKK164/1
RALL
INDEX
मि
25 JANIDO
女
No as &
INFO DOT CREDA (CRE4), DI INDUS (MACDONALD ICS2) AND BTC
HONG KONG.
9
BTC HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO 7 TO YOU: AP REPORT OF TRIANGULAR
DEAL.
98
1. IN ANSWER TO ENQUIRIES ABOUT THE REPORT WE HAVE TAKEN THE
LINE THAT IT IS APPARENTLY A CONFLATION OF THE FOUR FACTS
THAT: (A) THE UK HAVE SOLD GENERATING EQUIPMENT TO HONG KONG, (B) WE ARE DISCUSSING WITH THE CHINESE THE POSSIBLE SUPPLY OF COAL,
(C) THERE ARE PRESENT IN PEKING REPRESENTATIVES OF THREE MINING EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING COMPANIES AND (D) THE
KNOWN CHINESE DESIRE TO BOOST COAL PRODUCTION QUICKLY. WE
HAVE ALSO SAID THAT WE HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF ANY CONTRACTS
BEING SIGNED FOR COAL MINING EQUIPMANT.
2. GIVEN THE APPARENTLY OFFICIAL SOURCE OF THE AP REPORT AND
IN PARTICULAR THE REFERENCE TO MINISTERIAL DISCUSSIONS IN
LONDON I THINK IT WOULD BE POLITE TO SAY SOMETHING TO THE
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN TRADE HERE. GRATEFUL THEREFORE FOR
BACKGROUND AND APPROPRIATE LINE TO TAKE. EVEN IF WE DO NOT
VOLUNTEER A COMMENT TO THE MINISTRY THE SUBJECT MAY ARISE
EARLY NEXT WEEK WHEN I HOPE TO SEE A VICE MINISTER OF FOREIGN
TRADE.
YOUDE
FILES:
FED
TRED
FRD
ECON D
HK & G D
OID
NEWS D
MR CORTAZZI
MR MURRAY
MR THOMAS
CONFIDENTIAL
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