Stockholm in June. Nevertheless it seems to
me that it will be difficult to allow them to
agree to the additional restraints in non-
cotton items as they wish on this occasion.
You will see that in paragraph 7 of their
telegram they are proposing to do so in the
case of the same two items, of women's and
girls' discontinuous anoraks, and synthetic
d
1
blouses, to which they make reference in their
telegram No. 301.
I think there are two main arguments
This
against allowing them to make these concessions
as they are obviously anxious to do. The
first is that Baron de Geer undertook not to
ask for new restraints in non-cotton items.
presonably
The second is that this is a bad moment in
A
time (I refer to Mr. Stans' tour) at which to
make any such concessions.
is the It may well be
that if the Swedish statistics justify it
and they seem to do so, although we have not
seen them - we could argue that this was just
such an item by item restraint on the basis of
Chand
good factual evidence as we may have to admit
ir
atras Hong Kong has on previous occa- I will drottens have to concada agam sions conceded, but would it not be better to
eded
postpone the issue until June when Mr. Stans'
rounds will presumably have ended?
I should be grateful for your urgent con-
sideration of this telegram. If you were able
canma to telephone your agreement with this general
line I would in the circumstances make myself
responsible for drafting a conciliatory but
firm telegram holding Hong Kong to the pre-
viously agreed position, which woul alan wth you
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