118
CYPHER/CAT A
CONFIDENTIAL
PRIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELEGRAM NUMBER 320
TOP COPY
124
TO GOVERNOR HONG KONG
14 MAY 1969.
(HKK 6/531/1 HONG KONG)
ONFIDENTIAL
NEUTRAL
ADDRESSED TO GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELNO 320 OF 14 MAY REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO STOCKHOLM, UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON,
1
SWEDISH TEXTILE NEGOTIATIONS.
**
WE NOTE FROM YOUR TELEGRAM 373 THAT YOU PROPOSE TO ACCEPT THE SWEDISH INVITATION TO RESUME CONSULTATIONS IN STOCKHOLM COMMENCING 16 JUNE. ALTHOUGH WE UNDERSTOOD THE REASONS FOR THE PROPOSAL IN YOUR TELEGRAM 339 TO SETTLE IN WRITING ABOUT 29 MAY WE SHOULD IN ANY CASE HAVE ASKED YOU TO RESUME FORMAL CONSULTATIONS IN JUNE BECAUSE, AS WE DO NOT NEED TO REMIND YOU, THERE ARE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS OF PRINCIPLE AT STAKE. THE QUESTION OF CONTINUATION OF SWEDISH RESTRAINTS MAY ARISE AT DISCUSSIONS WITH STANS AND IF IT
DOES WE WOULD ADVISE YOU THAT YOU MAKE CLEAR TO STANS THAT YOU
ARE NOT COMMITTED TO THE CONTINUATION OF THE EXISTING RESTRAINTS FOR ANOTHER YEAR, NEGOTIATIONS BEING INCOMPLETE, STILL LESS OF COURSE ARE YOU COMMITTED TO THE EXTENSION OF RESTRAINT TO NEW
PRODUCTS.
2. WE WILL COMMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE ON YOUR PROPOSED NEGOTIATING
INSTRUCTIONS FOR JUNE. WE ARE EXAMINING SWEDISH REQUESTS FOR
ADDITIONAL RESTRAINT IN THE LIGHT OF AVAILABLE STATISTICS, WHILE WE HAVE NOT YET REACHED ANY FINAL CONCLUSIONS WE HAVE DOURTS ABOUT
THE STRENGTH OF THE CASE. THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE, FOR EXAMPLE,
GOOD JUSTIFICATION FOR THE PROPOSED HEAVY REDUCTION IN THE RESTRAINT
LEVEL FOR ANORAKS.
STEWART
INTERNATIONAL TRADE DISTRIBUTION
HONG KONG DEPT.
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