CYPHER/CAT A
PRIORITY HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
Jo
TOP COPY
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
ELEGRAM NUMBER 555
12 JULY 1969
CONFIDENTIAL
YOUR TELEGRAMM 454 : U.K, TEXTILE COUNCIL REPORT.
A MEETING OF THE TEXTILES ADVISORY BOARD HAS BEEN ARRANGED FOR 15 JULY, I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO TELEGRAPH OUR DEFINITIVE VIEWS TWO OR
THREE DAYS THEREAFTER.
2. 1 AM, INDEED, CONSCIOUS OF THE TIME FACTOR. IN THIS CONNECTION, I WOULD POINT OUT THAT YOUR GUIDANCE TELEGRAM 77 OF 1 APRIL INDICATED THAT INTERESTED COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENTS WOULD BE CONSULTED OFFICIALLY BEFORE A DECISION ON THE TEXTILE COUNCIL'S RECOMMENDATION FOR A TARIFF WAS TAKEN AND I HAD, THEREFORE, ASSUMED THAT TIME WOULD BE ALLOWED FOR MINISTERS TO TAKE COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENTS' COMMENTS INTO ACCOUNT, YOUR LATEST TELEGRAM IMPLIES, HOWEVER, THAT THERE WILL BE NO SUCH PRIOR CONSULTATIONS,
1
3. IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT THERE WILL BE NO ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE IMPOSITION OF A TARIFF BEFORE I AM ABLE TO ADVISE YOU OF THE OUTCOME OF THE BOARD'S MEETING. THERE WILL BE VERY UNFORTUNATE POLITICAL REPERCUSSIONS IF THIS GOVERNMENT WAS NOT SEEN
TO HAVE PUT FORWARD ITS VIEWS BEFOREHAND.
SIR D. TRENCH
FILES:
H.K.D.
LASI
COMMODITIES D.
REF.
49
TR.POL. D.
SIR A. SNELLING
MR. GALLAGHER
NEXT
REF.
$3
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DDDDD
CONTIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No.51
114 JUL 1969
HKK6/548/8