DRAFT
EPTA MINISTERIAL MEETING
NON-COTTON TEXTILES
US AND ASIAN SUPPLIERS
༢.
There is no indication of any change in the US stand for across-the-board restraint by Asian supplying countries of
non-cotton textile exports to the US. The Japanese remain under strong American pressure and there is some doubt as to whether they will be able to resist much longer; when the Foreign Secretary was in Tokyo they were talking in terms of
One not being able to hold out for more than another month.
reason for this is the recent introduction by Congressmen Mills of a Bill containing a formula for the control of all imported textiles as well as leather footwear which provides annual limits of these items based on the movement of domestic
Another recent development is that the Americans have invited the other major Asian suppliers (including Hong Kong) to discuss arrangements for limiting exports of non-cotton
consumption.
textiles at the same time as the new arrangements under the
Cotton Textiles Agreement are discussed.
if anyone will accept this irvitation.
2.
We do not yet know
Our concern is that the Americans should not be enabled
to enter freely into agreements for comprehensive restraint
of textile imports without attempting to show that these are
"There causing any real injury to their own textile industry.
is no possibility that the Americans could prove any case of
We have been injury except on a very small number of items. considering whether we should take an initiative to have the problem of nor-cotton textiles discussed in GATT with a view
to ensuring that there should he some GATT agreement on what constituted sufficient injury to warrant action being
I support for
taken.
Since SEC such a move would be essential
Officials
of the Commission have been sounded on this proposal and
1