າງ
EN CLAIR
PRIORITY
WASHINGTON
ΤΟ
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELNO 361
UNCLASSIFIED
NEUTRAL
6 FEBRUARY 1969 1
ADDRESSED TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TELEGRAM NO.361 OF 6 FEBRUARY, REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO HONG KONG, UKDEL EEC BRUSSELS, UKMISSION GENEVA, PARIS, BONN AND ROME.
MY IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING TELEGRAM.
TEXT IS AS FOLLOWS:
}
QUESTION: MR. PRESIDENT, DURING THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN, SIR, YOU
SAID THAT YOU WOULD SEEK INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS
TO LIMIT THE IMPORT OF CERTAIN TEXTILES. CAN YOU TELL US WHEN YOU PLAN TO GET AROUND TO DOING THAT? ALSO, COULD YOU GIVE US SOME IDEA AS TO WHAT YOU FEEL ABOUT THE GROWING FEELING OF PROTECTIONISM IN CONGRESS?
THE PRESIDENT:
FIRST.
LET ME START AT THE SECOND PART OF THE QUESTION I BELIEVE THAT THE INTEREST OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE, INTEREST OF THE WHOLE WORLD WILL BEST BE SERVED BY MOVING TOWARD FREER TRADE RATHER THAN TOWARD PROTECTIONISM. I TAKE A DIM VIEW OF THIS TENDENCY TO MOVE TOWARD QUOTAS AND OTHER METHODS THAT MAY BECOME PERMANENT, WHETHER THEY ARE APPLIED HERE
OR BY OTHER NATIONS ABROAD.
SECOND, AS FAR AS THE TEXTILE SITUATION IS CONCERNED, THAT IS A SPECIAL PROBLEM WHICH HAS CAUSED VERY GREAT DISTRESS IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THIS COUNTRY, AND TO A GREAT NUMBER OF WAGE EARNERS, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO OPERATE OUR TEXTILE FACILITIES. FOR THAT REASON. EXPLORATORY DISCUSSIONS HAVE TAKEN PLACE AND WILL BE TAKING PLACE WITH THE MAJOR COUNTRIES INVOLVED TO SEE IF WE CAN HANDLE THIS ON A VOLUNTEER BASIS RATHER THAN HAVING TO GO TO A LEGISLATION WHICH WOULD IMPOSE QUOTAS, AND I THINK WOULD TURN THE CLOCK BACK IN OUR OBJECT I VE
OF TRYING TO ACHIEVE FREER TRADE.
}
7
ENDS.
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HLA
REF.
ने
/F.C.O.