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EN CLAIR
HONG KONG TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO. 7 TO CANBERRA
UNCLASSIFIED
/NEUTRAL_/
15 APRIL 1969
ADDRESSED CANBERRA TELNO. 7 OF 15 APRIL RFI FCO AND GENEVA
(FOR JONES)
COTTON TEXTILES: YOUR TELNO. 5
PLEASE CONVEY THE FOLLOWING RESPONSE TO THE DEPARTMENT OF
TRADE AND INDUSTRY.
2. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT NOTES THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT'S REQUEST FOR CONSULTATIONS UNDER ARTICLE 3 OF THE G.A.T.T.
COTTON TEXTILES AGREEMENT SEMI COLON AND FOR THE SUSPENSION
OF THE ISSUE OF EXPORT AUTHORISATIONS FOR COTTON DRILLS, DENIMS, JEANS AND DUNGAREES FALLING WITHIN PARAGRAPHS 55.09.49 IN THE FIRST SCHEDULE TO THE AUSTRALIAN CUSTOMS TARIFF.
SUCH ISSUE WAS SUSPENDED FROM NOON ON 12 APRIL.
3.
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT NOTES THE CONCERN OF THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT AT THE LEVEL OF IMPORTS OF THESE FABRICS FROM HONG KONG IN THE YEAR ENDING FEBRUARY 1969 BUT FAILS TO UNDERSTAND THE REFERENCE TO AN AGREED LIMIT OF 1.5 MILLION SQ. YDS.,
SINCE IT WAS AGREED IN THE CONSULTATIONS HELD IN MAY 1968 (AND THE G.A.T.T. WAS SO NOTIFIED) THAT NO LIMITATION SHOULD
DE APPLIED TO HONG KONG EXPORTS OF THESE GOODS.
4.
THE AUSTRALIAN MEMORANDUM IS NOT TO HAND IN HONG KONG
YET, BUT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TRUSTS IT CONTAINS A DETIALED FACTUAL STATEMENT OF THE REASONS AND JUSTIFICATION FOR
THE PRESENT REQUEST, AS PRESCRIBED IN ARTICLE 3 OF THE G. A. T.T. RECEIVOTTON TEXTILES ARRANGEMENT, INCLUDING EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE
REGISTRY No.51
16 APR 1969
MKX6/343/1
1ST
RFF.
/OR