RESTRICTED
Reference....Commodities Dept......
Room G690.
192
c.c. kr. Carter (HKD)
Mr. Milne
Draft Paper on US imports of textiles prepared by Industry One Division of the Board of Trade
I spoke this morning to Mr. Magor of CRE ↳ BOT about Mr. Stewart's draft paper (circulated
under cover of his minute of 20 June)****culated
J
I said that I thought that it would be tactically unwise for us to take the initiative in reopening the matter with the Americans in this way. Furthermore, it seemed to me that the paper was ill-judged in acknowledging the existence of an American textile problem in economic terms.
Mr. Magor told me that he had already spoken to Mr. Stewart on similar lines and that Mr. Ridley had expressed much the same point of view in a telephone conversation with Mr. Magor. In these circumstances Mr. Magor considers that it is most unlikely that Mr. Stewart's idea for a "White Paper" will make any progress. He has noted, however, that if there is any sign of its being pursued we should want an opportunity to express a view.
Mr. Magor added that, inspired I gather by a suggestion from Sir A. Part (though I remember that a similar suggestion was made from Washington some time ago) the BOT will probably brief the press with information about the state of the US textile industry with the idea of getting journals such as The Economist and the Financial Times to do an article on the subject. Mr. Magor has sent some material for this purpose to Mr. Stewart with the suggestion that he might modify it as necessary in the light of his own study. Alternatively a revised version of Mr. Stewart's study might be given to the press (presumably on a non attributable basis).
You may wish to let Trade Policy Department see the papers. I see that they were not given a copy of Mr. Stewart'a minute of 20 June. Please consider also whether American Department should be informed.
(G.S. Whitehead)
1 July 1969