CONFIDENTIAL
CYPHER/CAT A
PRIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELEGRAM NUMBER 454
CONFIDENTIAL.
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR.
TOP COPY
TO HONG KONG
89
10 JULY 1969 (HKK 6/548/8)
YOUR TELEGRAM NO 545: U.K. TEXTILE COUNCIL REPORT.
TEXTILE COUNCIL'S TARIFF RECOMMENDATION IS UNDER MINISTERIAL CONSIDERATION AND IT IS POSSIBLE THAT DECISION MAY BE REACHED AND ANNOUNCED BEFORE PARLIAMENT ADJOURNS ON 25 JULY. WE RECOGNISE THAT THE COMMENTS MADE IN YOUR TELEGRAM NO 511 WERE ONLY TENTATIVE AND THAT JORDAN'S COMMENTS WERE NON-COMMITTAL. WE REALISE THAT YOUR TEXTILE ADVISORY BOARD AND TRADE ASSOCIATIONS WOULD REACT BADLY
TO ANY DECISION TO IMPOSE THE TARIFF WITHOUT CONSULTING THEM. HOWEVER, AS WE ADVISED YOU IN PERSONAL TELEGRAM NO 401, NO
COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN CONSULTED AND THIS IS STILL THE
CASE.
2. THERE CAN BE NO OBJECTION TO YOU CONSULTING THE TEXTILE ADVISORY
BOARD AND INDUSTRY ON THE BASIS THAT THE TEXTILE COUNCIL HAVE MADE
THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS AND IF, REPEAT IF, THOSE OR ANY FORESEEABLE VARIANT WERE TO BE ADOPTED, YOU WOULD WISH TO KNOW THEIR CONSIDERED
REACTION. INDEED, WE UNDERSTOOD THAT YOU WERE MAKING A DETAILED
APPRAISAL WITH THE HELP OF YOUR INDUSTRY AND WOULD BE REFLECTING
WHAT USE TO MAKE OF ANY FURTHER ARGUMENTS BROUGHT TO LIGHT IN THE
COURSE OF IT. YOU WILL NO DOUST BEAR IN MIND THE TIME FACTOR
MENTIONED ABOVE IN CONSIDERING YOUR FURTHER COURSE OF ACTION.
34 WHEN YOU DO MAKE YOUR DEFINITIVE COMMENTS ON THIS BASIS, WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD USE THE CODEWORD NEUTRAL IN THE
PREAMBLE TO YOU TELEGRAM TO ENSURE THAT ALL CONCERNED HERE ARE
AWARE OF YOU VIEWS.
4. AS REGARDS THE POINTS IN PARAGRAPH 3 OF YOUR TELEGRAM UNDER
REFERENCE, WE DO NOT EXPECT THAT AN EARLY DECISION WILL BE TAKEN ON THE QUESTION WHETHER QUOTAS SHOULD BE PHASED OUT OR IMMEDIATELY
REMOVED.
STEWART
FILES
HONG KONG DEPT. COMMODITIES DEPT. TRADE POLICY DEPT. NNNNN
LABT
SIR A. SNELLING MR. GALLAGHER
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