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therefore have to be free to treat Hong Kong in non-cotton
textile matters (a) in the same way as we would treat any
other supplier of such textiles, and (b) in the same way as
any other importer of such textiles treated imports from Hong
Kong following restraints conceded by Hong Kong. We would,
of course, act in respect of Hong Kong only in accordance
with our normal liberal trading policies and GATT principles.
Because of our responsibility for Hong Kong's
15.
international trading relations and for the reasons given in
paragraph 13 above the Hong Kong Government would have to keep
us informed about what they were doing. But we would not
normally expect to intervene. For our part, we would continue
to keep in the closest possible touch with the Hong Kong
Government and to be ready to support the Hong Kong Government
where they sought help to secure their rights under inter-
national agreements.
16.
It is our hope that the practice, now taken for
granted in the Cotton Textiles Committee, will quickly
come to be accepted in meetings at which non-cotton textiles
are discussed. We think the change should come into effect
with as little publicity as possible. We propose, therefore,
to explain the new arrangements to the Secretary General of
GATT informally and to tell other interested parties only
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