Mr Laidler (EID)
CONFIDENTIAL
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229
EEC AND COTTON TEXTILES
1.
The draft paper for Ministers to be taken in the Approach to Europe Committee on 25 October, and attached with your minute, undated, is acceptable to TPD subject to the amendments which I attach on a separate sheet.
2.
The amendments are designed to clear up some inaccuracies in the Background section, and also to fill the major policy gap left by this paper, which described at some length the difficulties posed by the adaptation of our GPS to that of the Community, especially with regard to cotton textiles, and then attempts to dodge any kind of answer by claiming (last line of paragraph 8), that "this is not an immediate problem".
1 3. For tactical reasons, it may be appropriate to
avoid immediate public announcement of the only viable option open to HMG in this sphere, which is set out as alternative (b) in our addition to paragraph 8 of this draft. But there is absolutely no future in the paper attempting to disguise the facts of the situation from Ministers, and the FCO would not be well advised to agree to a draft which, however unintentionally, might give the impression of a definite lack of candour on an essential point.
4.
We feel that there may be merit in explaining our intentions as in paragraph 8(b) to the Commission in I confidence but would not press this point if it were
thought to be inadvisable for tactical reasons.
G.L. Simmons.
GL Simmons
Trade Policy Department
20 October 1971
P.S. Since this minute was typed I understand that it has been explained to Kevin Burns that EID have to draft a brief for the Secretary of State when the paper is submitted to Ministers next week, and that it is not being considered further by officials. Our comments i and suggested amendments have been designed primarily
for the latter purpose, but insofar as their direction and content is clear they can, in view of the short time available, be used as part of the basis of a brief. major point, as you will appreciate, is that incorporated in our suggested amendment to paragraph 8.
Our
/Copies to:-
CONFIDENTIAL
DD 896439 140609 500M 7/71 GM 3643/2