RESTRICTED
CYPHER/CAT A
TOKYO ΤΟ HONG KONG
PRIORITY
TELNO 9
PESTRICTED
[NEUTRAL]
bs Sil
Persaud ape to
D. Kelleys.
sest
好
13 FEBRUARY 1970
.257
2.
ADDRESSED TO HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO. 9 OF 13 FEBRUARY 1979 REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO WASHINGTON (FOR HERMANN) AND UKMIS GENEVA (FOR
JONES)
YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER 3: NON-COTTON TEXTILES.
SIMILAR STORIES APPEARED IN THE JAPANESE PRESS ON 9 FEBRUARY. FROM
ENQUIRIES WHICH WE HAVE MWDE OF THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE, IT
APPEARS THAT THE ACCOUNT IS GENERALLY ACCURATE BOTH AS REGARDS CONTENT
AND CONTEXT.
2. THIS STATEMENT CAME AT THE END OF A WEEK IN WHICH THE US TEXTILE
PROBLEM WAS UNDER ACTIVE CONSIDERATION BY JAPANESE MINISTERS. WE HAVE
BEEN UNABLE SO FAR TO DISCOVER FULL DETAILS OF THE RESULT OF THIS
STUDY BUT ONE RESULT HAS BEEN THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO PROPOSE
TO THE AMERICANS A RESUMPTION OF TALKS IN GENEVA LATER THIS MONTH. THE
PURPOSE OF THESE TALKS HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED HERE AS BEING TO
OBTAIN FURTHER DETAILS OF THE INJURY WHICH THE AMERICANS CLAIM IS
BEING SUFFERED BY THEIR TEXTILE INDUSTRY.
3. THE OFFICIALS TO WHOM WE TALKED LAST WEEK WERE UNANIMOUS IN
SAYING THAT THE LARGE AMOUNT OF EVIDENCE HANDED OVER BY THE AMERICANS
LAST MONTH FAILED TO SHOW THAT INJURY WAS BEING CAUSED: BUT THERE WAS
SOME TENDENCY TO CONCEDE THAT ON A FEW ITEMS THE THREAT OF INJURY IN
THE FUTURE MIGHT POSSIBLY EXIST. BUT THERE HAS ALSO BEEN A NOTICEABLE
TENDENCY ON THE PART OF THE JAPANESE IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS TO
LAST
REF.
NEKT
REF
13
RESTRICTER
1/14/12/170.
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No.51
16 FEB 1970
HKK6/204/1
/EMPHASISE