CYPHER/CAT A
CONFIDENTIAL
Viale
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
ら
ROUTINE SEOUL
TELEGRAM NO 8
CONFIDENTIAL
[NEUTRAL]
22 JANUARY 1970
ما
(Cope, be hand
Mi Sella.).
ADDRESSED TO F C O TELNO 8 OF 22 JANUARY R F I TO TOKYO
TAMSUI AND HONG KONG AND SAVING TO UKMIS GENEVA AND WASHINGTON. MY TELNO 200/69.
TEXTILES.
I ASKED THE VICE MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS TODAY WHETHER THERE HAD BEEN ANY DEVELOPMENTS SINCE THE ABORTIVE TALKS
IN GENEVA WITH THE AMERICANS AT THE BEGINNING OF DECEMBER.
MR YUN CONFIRMED THAT THE RESPECTIVE POSITIONS HAD THEN
BEEN SHOWN TO BE TOO FAR APART TO ALLOW OF COMPROMISE
AND SAID THAT THE KOREAN GOVT WERE AT A LOSS TO KNOW WHAT
TO DO NEXT. OTHER EXPORTING TERRITORIES, FOR INSTANCE JAPAN, COULD AFFORD SOME FLEXIBILITY IN THEIR NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE UNITED STATES, BUT FOR KOREA THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY WAS SO VITAL TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ECONOMY (AND HENCE TO THE SUCCESS OF THEIR CONFRONTATION WITH NORTH KOREA) THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD NO ROOM FOR MANOEUVRE. THEIR NEED FOR SPECIAL CONSIDERATION BY THE UNITED STATES WAS THEREFORE
GREAT.
2. 1 EXPRESSED SYMPATHY BUT SAID THAT THERE WOULD CLEARLY
BE SOME DIFFICULTY FOR THE UNITED STATES IN REACHING ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA WHICH WERE MORE FAVOURABLE THAN | THOSE WITH OTHER EXPORTERS. AT THE SAME TIME, I ASKED WHETHER YUN'S EMPHASIS ON KOREA'S SPECIAL NEED MEANT THAT HIS GOVT WOULD PREFER BILATERAL TALKS WITH THE UNITED STATES: AS I HAD EXPLAINED PREVIOUSLY, THE BRITISH GOVT FAVOURED MULTILATERAL TALKS WITHIN THE GATT FRAMEWORK.
YUN SAID THAT HIS GOVT HAD NOT YET TAKEN ANY DECISION ON THIS.
F C O PASS
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]
MR TRENCH
INTERNATIONAL TRADE DISTRIBUTION
COMMODITIES DEPT
HONG KONG DEPT AMERICAN DEPT
R.GITAY No. 51
-2 FEB 1970
никорочк
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION
HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL TRADE
CONFIDENTIAL