27
CYPHER/CAT A
CONFIDENTIAL
PRIORITY WASHINGTON,
TELEGRAM NO 521
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
20 FEBRUARY 1969
CONFIDENTIAL
NEUTRAL
ADDRESSED TO FOREIGN OFFICE TELEGRAM NO. 521 OF 20 FEBRUARY
REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO BONN, PARIS, ROME, TOKYO, UKDEL EEC
BRUSSELS, UKDEL OECD PARIS AND UKMIS GENEVA.
FROM MINISTER (COMMERCIAL).
TEXTILES.
FOR YOUR OWN INFORMATION AT THIS STAGE, TREZISE HAS BEEN
CALLED TO WASHINGTON FOR CUNSULTATIONS IN CONNECTION WITH
NEGOTIATION OF VOLUNTARY AGREEMENTS. I UNDERSTAND PRIVATELY THAT
HE MAY BE ASKED TO TAKE THIS ON BUT REGARDS THE PROSPECT WITH
DISTASTE.
2.
GREENWALD CACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY, STATE DEPARTMENT)
ASKED ME TO DINNER LAST NIGHT AT SHORT NOTICE TO MEET TREZISE.
3. IN CONVERSATION A TROIS AFTER DINNER, I SAID THAT I HOPED
THAT, THE PRESIDENT WAS NOT GOING TO EUROPE WITH ANY THOUGHT IN
HIS MIND THAT HE WOULD FIND A READY RESPONSE TO ANY PROPOSALS
ON TEXTILES. TREZISE REPLIED THAT THE PRESIDENT HAD POLITICAL
COMMITMENTS. IT WOULD BE WISE TO RECOGNISE THIS. TO THE EXTENT
THAT HE WERE ABLE TO FULFIL THEM, THIS WOULD CLEAR THE WAY FOR
CONSTRUCTIVE POLICIES HEREAFTER.
4. I REPLIED THAT WE WOULD OURSELVES FIND IT POLITICALLY EXTREMELY
DIFFICULT TO ENTER INTO ANY RESTRAINT AGREEMENT TO BENEFIT
+
THE U.S. INDUSTRY PARTICULARLY SINCE IT SEEMED TO BE RUNNING
VERY PROFITABLY AND HAD, IN SOME SECTORS, INCREASED ITS LABOUR
FORCE.
5. I WAS THEN ASKED WHETHER WE WOULD BE ATTRACTED BY A BARGAIN ON
A.S.P. AND REPLIED THAT I COULD SEE NO PROSPECT AT ALL OF OUR
CONFIDENTIAL
/BEING
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