PRIORITY
CYPHER/CAT-A-
FM WASHINGTON 026415Z
CONFIDENTIAL. [NEUTRAL]
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No. 51
13 MAY 1971
4116/1
142
TO PRIORITY FCO TELO 1154 OF 2/4 R.F.1. TO KINGSTON AND UKDEL
BRUSSELS AND SAVING TO GEORGETOWN PORT OF SPAIN BRIDGETOWN AND
CASTRIES.
KINGSTON'S TELNO 91 TO YOU: PREFERENCES.
THE DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE,
POLICY TODAY RAISED MR. LIGHTBOURNE'S STATEMENT IN THE COURSE OF
A DISCUSSION WITH COMMERCIAL COUNSELLOR, CRONK SAID THAT THE U.S.
POSITION ON PREFERENTIAL AGREEMENTS WAS TOTALLY MISUNDERSTOOD IN
SOME QUARTERS AND THAT THEY INTENDED TO RE-STATE IT QUOTE TO ALL
THOSE CONCERNED UNQUOTE.
2. HE INDICATED THAT THE U.S, DID NOT LIKE ANY BREACH OF M.F.N.
PRINCIPLES BUT THAT THEY WERE UNDERSTANDING ABOUT ARRANGEMENTS WHICH
ACCORDED PREFERENTIAL ENTRY TO FORMER METROPOLITAN COUNTRIES FOR
GOODS FROM THEIR EX-DEPENDENCIES, HOWEVER, THE U.S. OBJECTED
STRONGLY TO REVERSE PREFERENCES AND WERE DETERMINED TO TAKE
EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO PRESS FOR THEIR ABOLITION. THE U.S. D'EMARCHES -
IN EUROPEAN CAPITALS AT THE END OF LAST YEAR REGARDING THE
E.E.C.'S OFFER OF ASSOCIATION TO COMMONWEALTH AFRICAN AND CARIBBEAN
COUNTRIES AS WELL AS THEIR POSITION ON THE GENERALISED
PREFERENCES SCHEME, SHOULD BE SEEN IN THIS LIGHT.
За MEYNELL COMMENTED THAT THE LONG STANDING AMERICAN OBJECTIONS
TO REVERSE PREFERENCES WERE WELL UNDERSTOOD IN LONDON AND HAD BEEN
COVERED IN MR. RIPPON'S RECENT DISCUSSIONS IN WASHINGTON. BUT
IF THERE WERE MISUNDERSTANDINGS ELSEWHERE THE REASON MIGHT IN PART
/LIE
CONFIDENTIAL