CYPHER/CAT A
ROUTINE PARIS
TELNO 668
CONFIDENTIAL
[NEUTRAL]
CONFIDENTIAL
(84)
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
22 JULY 1969
ADDSD TO F C O TELNO 668 OF 22 JULY 1969 RFI SAVING TO BRUSSELS
LUXEMBOURG THE HAGUE BONN ROME UKDEL EEC UKMIS GENEVA WASHINGTON
AND UKDEL OECD
YOUR TEL NO. 356: COTTON TEXTILES.
ACTION WAS TAKEN TODAY WITH THE UNDER SECRETARY CONCERNED AT THE QUAI D'ORSAY. LAVERY EXPRESSED APPRECIATION FOR THE COURTESY OF THIS ADVANCE NOTIFICATION AND MADE TWO PRELIMINARY OFF -THE-CUFF COMMENTS. THE FIRST WAS AN EXPRESSION OF APPREHENSION LEST THIS DECISION SHOULD ENCOURAGE THE AMERICANS TO RESUSCITATE THEIR PROPOSALS FOR RESTRICTIONS ON NON-COTTON TEXTILES: BUT HE DID NOT PRESS THIS POINT AGAINST THE OBVIOUS COUNTER-ARGUMENTS. THE SECOND WAS AN EXPRESSION OF MILD SURPRISE AT OUR BELIEF THAT " THE EFFECT OF THE NEW ARRANGEMENT SHOULD BE TO REDUCE IMPORTS FROM THE DEVELOPED COUNTRIES ETC.'' HE SAID THAT, DURING THE RUN-UP IN GENEVA TO THE LTA, THERE HAD BEEN MUCH SUPPORT FOR THE OPPOSITE VIEW: NAMELY THAT IN GENERAL PROTECTION BY TARIFF FAVOURED THE DEVELOPED COUNTRIES RATHER THAN THE REVERSE. BOTH COMMENTS WERE, HOWEVER, PERSONAL AND UNPREMEDITATED AND IT WOULD NOT BE WORTH PURSUING THEM UNLESS THE FRENCH SHOULD REVERT TO THEM.
FCO PLEASE PASS SAVING TO BRUSSELS LUXEMBOURG THE HAGUE BONN ROME UKDEL EEC, UKMIS. GENEVA, WASHINGTON
MR. PALLISER
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]
RECEIVED IN
R GICTRY Nɔ.51
INTERNATIONAL TRADE DISTRIBUTION
COMMODITIES DEFT.
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CONFIDENTIAL
LAST
REF
(79)
23 JUL 1969
HICK 6/548/8
REF.