CONFIDMA-IAL
Commodities Dept.
Reference......
HONG KONG/CANADA NEGOTIATIONS ON
NON COTTON TEXTILES
AUGUST 1969
ure
conveyed a new Hing portion to
we should
Jordan
certainly have informed
the Governor also
(1)
(2)
The talks are due to take place early next
week and at this late stage it is to be hoped
that we can avoid long and sterile arguments
on questions of principle based on hypotheses
about our future overall policy.
It must be admitted that during his talks
in Ottawa, Mr. Jordan was remiss in allowing
himself to be drawn into a quasi-negotiating
position. The Hong Kong authorities should
also be in no doubt that we wish to be
given an opportunity to consider fully any
proposals for restraints on non cotton
textile exports from Hong Kong.
(3) On the other hand the Hong Kong authorities
have some justification in saying that
we have known for at least two months
what they had in mind and that we have not
demurred until now.
(4) But at this late stage there would be
little point in having an inquest on the
extent to which either the Hong Kong
authorities or we have been at fault in the
to
run up period of these talks. Something
must be decided before the weekend.
(5) Our own policy overall is still unclear.
Admittedly since the round of talks between
Hong Kong and the Swedes in Stockholm earlier
this summer, we have announced our intention,
in the case of cotton textiles, to move
from a system of quotas to protection through