TNAG-0855-FCO40-1065-Construction-of-underground-railway-system-in-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 176

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4. SINCE IT IS A LABORIOUS AND TIME-CONSUMING TASK. CHECKING THESE MANUAL RECORDS AND THE RELATED DOCUMENTATION, IT WAS SUGGESTED TO EN WISE ON 5 JANUARY THAT, RATHER THAN CAUSE DIFFICULTY AND EXPENSE TO TRADERS WITH GOODS AT THE DOCKS, HONG KONG SHOULD ISSUE THEM WITH EXPORT CERTIFICATES AGAINST THE 1979 QUOTA WHICH WOULD ENABLE . US TO ISSUE IMPORT LICENCES STRAIGHT AWAY AND TO RECONCILE THE 1978 QUOTA USAGE FIGURES 11 OUR OWN TIME, ANY UNDER-USAGE EVENTUALLY IDENTIFIED BEING RE-CREDITED TO THE 1979 QUOTA. WISE TOLD US HE PUT THIS SUGGESTION TO HONG KONG ON 5 JANUARY BUT APPARENTLY THERE HAS

BEEN NO RESPONSE.

5. LAU TOLD US THIS MORNING THAT THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES ARE

THINKING OF TAKING THE MATTER UP WITH FCO,

11

tegrum 6. THE ABOVE PROVIDES DETAILED INFORMATION BY WAY OF BACKGROUND FOR

112 wn.

LINE TO TAKE WITH HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WE SUGGEST YOU SAY

A) THAT WE DID NOTIFY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE IN LONDON AND THE EEC COMMISSION AS EARLY S 21 DECEMBER BEFORE REFUSING IMPORT

LICENCES:

B) THERE IS A PROBLEM IN RECONCILING OUT. RECORDS WITH KONG KONGS. C) THAT WE ARE IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH HONG KONG OFFICIALS IN LONDON TO SEEK A SETTLEMENT.

D) IN THE MEANTIME IT WOULD HELP TRADERS IF THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES WOULD AGREE TO ISSUE 1979 EXPORT CERTIFICATES TO CLEAR THE GOODS ARRIVING AT THE DOCKS WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO THE EVENTUAL RESOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM OF RECONCILING FIGURES FOR 1973. IN DISCUSSIONS WITH HONG KONG GARMENT TRADE AND PRESS YOU SHOULD ONLY USE B AND C ABOVE.

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