CONFIDENTAL
-7-
inform Lord Melchett of the position reached over renewal of the
self-restraint arrangements, in respect of exports of steel to
the United States, by the Community steel producers and the
Japanese. The Community had put to the Americans the view that,
in the light of the expected Pritish membership of the Co-munity,
it was illogical that the British Steel Corporation should
continue to refuse to join in these self-restraint arrangements.
Mr Samuels agreed with my off-the-cuff reaction that the
British steel industry was not at the moment a particularly
important exporter (thought he said that for some special
steels they did export significant quantities to the United
States); and that it was still nearly two years before one
could hope for British membership of the EEC to take effect.
Mr Samuels said that his object would be to keep Lord Melchett
informed of what was being said and done rather than to press
him to undertake the same self-restraint obligations as the
Continental and Japanese industries had accepted.
29 April 1971
CONFIDENTTAT
1.8.0.1
JR A Bottomley
Distribution/