CONFIDENTIAL
CYPHER CAT A
IMMEDIATE
TELNO 565
HONG KONG TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
17 JULY 1969
5°3'
ONFIDENTIAL
MY TELEGRAM 555: U.K. TEXTILE COUNCIL REPORT.
HCK 6/548/3
THE TEXTILES ADVISORY BOARD MET ON 15 JULY SEMICOLON EUT
MEMBERS, THOUGH DISTURBED, WERE UNADLE IMMEDIATELY TO OFFER
DEFINITIVE AND AGREED VIEWS ON EFFECTS OF THE IMPOSITION OF A
TARIFF AND THE REMOVAL OF QUOTAS WITHOUT FURTHER DETAILED
CONSULTATIONS WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE TRADE ASSOCIATIONS.
ACCORDINGLY, ANOTHER MEETING HAS BEEN ARRANGED FOR 2.31 P.M.
TOPOPROV 10TH JULY, A TELEGRAM SUMMARISING THEIR VIEWS, TOGETHER
WITH ANY COMMENT I FEEL BOUND TO OFFER, WILL REACH YOU NO LATER
THAN 1339 BST THE SAME DAY.
2x
THE DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, VHO WAS IN THE
CHAIR, STRESSED THAT THERE COULD ONLY BE SPECULATION AS REGARDS
THE EXTENT TO WHICH, IF AT ALL, THE TEXTILE COUNCIL'S RECOMMEND-
ATIONS WOULD BE ACCEPTED BY NMG, BUT THE BOARD OBVIOUSLY FEARED
THAT,
IF A TARIFF ALONE FAILED TO PROVIDE LANCASHIRE WITH ADEQUATE
PROTECTION AND AGGRAVATED THE GENERAL IMPORT PROBLEM, QUOTAS
WOULD LATER BE RE-IMPOSED ON AN EVEN LESS FAVOURABLE BASIS
THAN AT PRESENT. GIVEN THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BRITISH MARKET
WHICH TAKES 275 BY VALUE OF OUR COTTON TEXTILES EXPORTS) IT
IS EASY TO UNDERSTAND THEIR ANXIETIES.
130
CONFIDENTIAL
LAST
REF.
50
NEX
REF.
54