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negotiations on non-cotton textiles but were
prepared as always to fulfil their general GATT
obligations and to consult on any particular
sectors where Hong Kong imports were causing or
threatening serious injury to domestic industry.
The discussions were held on 13 October in
(C.T.C) Geneva after the Cotton Textiles Committee meet-
ing,
with Sir Eugene Melville in the chair. The
Americans renewed their argument that the dis-
ruption of their industry was an accomplished
fact in certain areas and threatened in others.
They even outlined a form of agreement but were
told that substantive discussion was premature.
An attempt to establish a precedent from the
bilateral agreements in certain limited cate-
gories of non-cotton textiles into which Hong
Kong had previously entered with a few countries
was countered by the argument that these were
not comprehensive agreements and in any case
only conceded restraint where serious injury to
particular sectors of the domestic industry had
Finally the Americans made
their familiar reference to the danger that if
voluntary restraint was unattainable Congress
might insist on the enactment of more damaging
measures, perhaps not only affecting textiles.
been demonstrated.
At the CTC meeting which immediately pre-
ceded these bilateral discussions the question
of US pressure for some kind of restraint over
non-cotton textiles was prominent in the minds
of most delegations. The Americans were less
outspoken than they might have been. However,
it is clear that they are determined by one