=ཎ་ ་་་་
CYPHER CAT A
FROM IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1168
CONF IDENTIAL
TO THE FOREIGN AND COMMON-
WEALTH OFFICE
DATED 14 APRIL 1969.
87
112)
CONFIDENTIAL
NEUTRAL
ADDRESSED TO F.C.O. TELEGRAM NUMBER 1168 OF 14 APRIL, REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO UKDEL EEC BRUSSELS AND UKMIS GENEVA.
FOR ATTENTION FIRST THING TUESDAY ON F.C.O. AND BOARD OF TRADE.
MY TELEGRAM NO 1150: MR. STANS AND TEXTILES. //-
WE HAVE JUST RECEIVED PCO (69)5 OF 10 APRIL, THE DRAFT BRIEF ON TEXTILES FOR THE MEETINGS WITH STANS. AS YOU WILL BY NOW HAVE SEEN FROM MY TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE AND FROM MY EARLIER TEL- EGRAMS NOS 1889, 1129 AND 1130, I THINK THAT THE ARGUMENTS AND EVIDENCE NOW ACCUMULATING SUGGEST THAT WE NEED GIVE NOTHING AWAY DURING THE VISIT. THERE IS INDEED SOME REASON TO SUPPOSE THAT STANS HAS ALREADY BEEN IMPRESSED WITH THE UNIFORMLY NEGAT- IVE RESPONSE HE HAS HAD IN HIS DISCUSSIONS WITH EUROPEAN AMB- ASSADORS HERE. I ACCORDINGLY BELIEVE THAT WE COULD GET AWAY WITH A LESS AMBIVALENT LINE THAN THAT WHICH EMERGES FROM PARA 9 OF THE P.C.O. PAPER. IN PARTICULAR I FEAR THAT IT WOULD PLAY STRAIGHT INTO THE HANDS OF THE TEXTILE LOBBY HERE IF WE WERE TO GIVE ANY HINT (PARA 9(D)) THAT WE WOULD ACQUIESCE IN BILATERAL DEALS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND ASIAN COUNTRIES. QUITE APART FROM HONG KONG'S INTEREST, THIS WOULD GIVE NEHMER AND OTHER PROTEXT- ILE OFFICIALS IN THE ADMINISTRATION JUST THE OPENING THEY ARE SEEKING FOR PLAYING OFF SUPPLIER COUNTRIES AGAINST EACH OTHER AND FOR DISRUPTING THE UNITED FRONT WHICH AFFORDS OUR STRONGEST HOPE OF PERSUADING STANS THAT HE WILL BRING MORE TROUBLE ON HIMSELF THAN IT IS WORTH BY PERSISTING IN HIS PROPOSALS. IN ANY CASE, AS ROTH ARGUED, WE COULD FEEL NO ASSURANCE WHATSOEVER THAT, ONCE
/THE
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No.51
24 APR 1969
HKX6/204//
LEAT
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