CYPHER/CAT A
IMMEDIATE NEW DELHI
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1495
CONFIDENTIAL.
CONFIDENTIAL
Rexh75 CornalFile.
7zxk7s
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH CFFICE
11 AUGUST 1969
RECEIV
IN
IR...
5 |
18 AUT 1969
HKK6/500/f
ناکات و
ADDRESSED TO F.C.0. TELEGRAM NO. 1495 OF 11 AUGUST REPEATED FOR
INFORMATION TO RAWALPINDI AND BOMBAY,
MY TEL NO 1489: COTTON TEXTILES.
LAST
REF.
123
REA)
REF.
125
I WAS SUMMONED TO SEE KEWAL SINGH SECRETARY EXTERNAL AFFAIRS AT
SHORT NOTICE THIS EVENING 11 AUGUST. HE HAD BEEN ASKED BY MINISTERS DO
EXPRESS THEIR MOST SERIOUS CONCERN AT PROPOSED TARIFF WHICH HAD
AROUSED VERY STRONG FEELINGS IN PARLIAMENT AND OUTSIDE. THE POINTS
ON WHICH THERE WAS PARTICULAR INDIGNATION WERE THE ABSENCE OF
CONSULTATION, THE PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT FOR EFTA COUNTRIES
ESPECIALLY PORTUGAL, THE SCANT REGARD PAID TO A HISTORICAL
ASSOCIATION, AND THAT THE PROSPECT OF AID WAS BEING HELD OUT AS IF
IT WERE A SOLUTION TO WHAT WAS ESSENTIALLY A TRADE PROBLEM. I WAS
ASKED IN PARTICULAR TO CONVEY TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE
THAT IT WAS FELT THAT OUR ACTION AMOUNTED TO AN ABRUPT DEPARTURE
FROM THE CLOSE AND FRIENDLY RELATIONSHIP WHICH HAD EXISTED HITHERTO
BETWEEN BRITAIN AND INDIA IN THE FIELD OF TRADE.
2. THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN TRADE WHO WAS
PRESENT DREV ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT BEFORE THE CREATION OF
EFTA A VERY HIGH POWERED UK DELEGATION HAD VISITED INDIA TO
NEGOTIATE THE VARIATION OF THE 1939 TRADE AGREEMENT. DID WE NOW
INTEND TO DENOUNCE THIS AGREEMENT?
13. IN
CONFIDENTIAL
1