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W(B)L 51-7406
And for the leasons given peragraph 12
above
CONFIDENTIAL
23.14 Apart from the international aspects, such
a delegation of authority would have to be
defensible to the UK domestic textile industry. As regards quantitative restrictions we would
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 our obligations both to GATT Par to Hong Kong
having regard to her particular status
vis-a-vio the United Kingdom.
For
Because of our responsibility for Hong Kong's international trading relations the Hong Kong Government would have to keep us informed about what they were doing. But we
would not normally expect to intervene. our part, we would continue to keep in the closest possible touch with the Hong Kong Government and would always be ready to support the Hong Kong Government where they sought help to secure their rights under international agreements.
to
15.66 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 when we think it necessary to
dissociate the United Kingdom from Hong Kong
policy.
17
16. We are satisfied that arrangements on
these lines will not lead us into difficulties
/ with the
...