CYPHER/CAT'A'
PRIORITY WASHINGTON
TELEGRAM NO.2714
CONFIDENTIAL
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
7 OCTOBER 1969
257)
CONFIDENTIAL.
NEUTRAL.
ADDRESSED TO F.C.O. TELEGRAM NO.2714 OF 7 OCTOBER REPEATED FOR
INFORMATION TO HONG KONG AND SAVING TO TOKYO UKMIS GENEVA AND OTTAWA.
MY TELEGRAM NO.60 TO HONG KONG.
U.S. TEXTILE IMPORTS.
I HAVE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED WHAT MIGHT BE DONE AT THIS LATE STAGE
TO BRING HOME TO THE AMERICANS THE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES WHICH WILL
ENSUE IF THEY PERSIST IN DEMANDING COMPREHENSIVE RESTRAINTS. I
BELIEVE THAT ONLY A DETERMINED EFFORT BY THE COUNTRIES CONCERNED
TO GET THROUGH TO THE PRESIDENT DIRECTLY HAS ANY CHANCE OF SUCCESS.
MY REASONS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
2. THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE MAKES ALL THE RUNNING IN PRESSING
FOR RESTRAINTS GOING WELL BEYOND THOSE FOR WHICH ANY ECONOMIC
JUSTIFICATION EXISTS. THE OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES CONCERNED
ACQUIESCE WITH VARIOUS DEGREES OF ENTHUSIASM OR RELUCTANCE. THE
STATE DEPARTMENT AND THE SPECIAL TRADE REPRESENTATIVE ALMOST
CERTAINLY HOPE THAT THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT WILL FAIL BUT THEY DO
NOT SEEM TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MUSTER EITHER THE COURAGE OR THE
INFLUENCE TO DIVERT MR. STANS. THE PRESIDENT HAS GIVEN HIS ELESSING TO MR. STANS, BUT WE DO NOT KNOW HOW CLOSELY THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN ADVISED ON THE WEAKNESSES OF THE ECONOMIC JUSTIFICATION
FOR COMPREHENSIVE RESTRAINTS OR OF THE DEGREE OF RISK FOR LIBERAL TRADING ARRANGEMENTS IN GENERAL. IN PARTICULAR, THOUGH MR. STANS
CLAIMS TO HAVE A POSITIVE DIRECTION FROM THE PRESIDENT TO BE
/CONTENT WITH NOTHING
RECEIVED IN
CONFIDENTIAL
REGISTRY No.51
- 8 OCT.1969
ніккороч
ME 1
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