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PRIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELEGRAM NUMBER 401
20
TO HONG KONG
17 JUNE 1969
ONLY
(MCC 13/548/1 COMMODITIES
CONFIDENTIAL.
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR.
OUR GUIDANCE TELEGRAMS NO.76 AND 77.
TEXTILE COUNCIL REPORT ON UK COTTON AND ALLIED TEXTILE INDUSTRY
2. WE EXPECT TO EMBARK SHORTLY ON INTERDEPARTMENTAL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE TEXTILE COUNCIL'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
3. THIS WILL INVOLVE CONSIDERATION OF THE CASE FOR THE
IMPOSITION OF A TARIFF ON COMMONWEALTH COTTON TEXTILES AND THE
POSSIBLE EVENTUAL WITHDRAWAL OF THE QUOTA RESTRICTIONS .
"
IN THIS CONNECTION WE IN THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
THINK THAT THE FOLLOWING POINTS SHOULD BE CAREFULLY EXAMINED :
(A) THE EXTERNAL POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS OF TARIFF ACTION
AGAINST THE DEVLOPING AFRO-ASIAN COMMONWEALTH WHILST LEAVING UNSCATHED EUROPEANS, E.G. IN PORTUGAL, AUSTRIA AND THE IRISH REPUBLIC (WHO ARE EXEMPT FROM DUTY UNDER EFTA AND AIFTA ) :
(B) THE DOUBTFUL COMPATIBILITY WITH PART IV OF THE GATT : WITH OUR UNCTAD INITIATIVE ON GENERALISED PREFERENCES: AND WITH OUR HIGH LINE WITH THE USA OVER PROTECTIONIST MOVES THERE :
(0) THE PRECEDENT TOWARD EROSION AND PERHAPS DISMANTLING OF THE COMMONWEALTH PREFERENTIAL SYSTEM :
(D) THE REPERCUSSIONS ON THE EXTERNAL TRADE EARNINGS AND AID REQUIREMENTS OF CERTAIN COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES AND ON OUR TRADE WITH THEM :
(E) ANY SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS AFFECTING PARTICULAR COMMONWEALTH TERRITORIES.
RECEIVED IN R G. TRY Nɔ.51
26 JUN 1969
14226/548/8
CONFIDENTIAL
4./WE SHOULD BE
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