CONFIDENTIAL
By Bag
SAVING TELEGRAM
PORT OF SPAIN TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
Telno 7 Saving 20 June, 1969
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Your tel. no. 714 of 16 June to New Delhi.
Textile Council Report on U.K. Cotton and Allied Textile Industry
Trinidad has made no use of its Special Country Quota since the beginning of the Global Quota Scheme in 1966. Exports of textiles to the U.K. on other quotas, have been minimal. The local textile industry is geared primarily to the domestic market and the garment industry to the domestic and Carifta area plus, for one or two items which are made under U.S. licence, the North American market. There has been talk of expanding sales to Britain and the continental European market but nothing has so far come of this.
2. Thus the imposition of a U.K. duty in this field and the eventual withdrawal of quotas would have no practical effect on Trinidad industry or exports.
3. On the general principle, however, that developed countries should be removing and not erecting barriers to trade from developing countries the Trinidad Government feel strongly and their public reaction would be in proportion to the publicity which the move, if it comes, would attract in Britain and elsewhere. There would be unlikely to be practical counter-measures but one more black mark would be chalked up against us.
4. Please repeat as necessary.
Mr. Thompson
FILES
Commodities Dept
South Asian Dept
N.A.C.D.
West African Dept
East African Dept
Southern European Dept
Hong Kong Dept
G.S.A.D.
S.W.P.D.
Trade Policy Dept
Sir A.
Snelling
Mr. Gallagher
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