WITHER/CAL A

FM F C O 291253Z

SECRET

DESKBY 301000Z

(COMMODITIES D)

102

TO IMMEDIATE BRUSSELS TELNO 221 OF 29 NOVEMBER AND TO BONN, THE HAGUE, LUXEMBOURG, UKDEL BRUSSELS, PARIS AND ROME.

i.

COTTON TEXTILES.

MINISTERS ARE CONSIDERING A PROPOSAL THAT, IN ADDITION TO THE PROPOSED NEW TARIFFS ON IMPORTS OF COTTON TEXTILES, A SYSTEM OF QUOTA CONTROLS ON BROADLY THE PRESENT PATTERN SHOULD BE RETAINED DURING 1972.

2. IF A DECISION IN THIS SENSE IS TAKEN, IT COULD BE ANNOUNCED IN PARLIAMENT ON 30 NOVEMBER.

3.

THIS WOULD LEAVE VERY LITTLE TIME FOR THE NOTIFICATION OF THE CHANGE OF POLICY TO THE GOVERNMENTS CONCERNED. THIS TELEGRAM, TOGETHER WITH A SUPPORTING TELEGRAM, IS THEREFORE BEING SENT TO YOU NOW ON A CONTINGENCY BASIS, BUT YOU SHOULD TAKE NO, REPEATE NO, ACTION PENDING FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS.

4. F.C.O. TEL NO 1214 TO CANBERRA CONTAINS THE TEXT OF AN AIDE- MEMOIRE TO GOVERNMENTS IN ALL THE SUPPLYING COUNTRIES CONCERNED. YOU WILL BE INFORMED IF AND WHEN THIS ACTION IS TAKEN. YOU SHOULD THEN INFORM THE GOVERNMENT TO WHICH YOU ARE ACCREDITED (UKDEL BRUSSELS SHOULD INFORM THE COMMISSION).

5.

THESE ARRANGEMENTS DO NOT, OF COURSE, AFFECT TERMS OF ACCESS OF IMPORTS TO THE BRITISH MARKET OF SUCH GOODS ORIGINATING IN THE EEC. NOR DO THEY DETERMINE THE ARRANGEMENTS APPLYING TO IMPORTS FROM THE COUNTRIES CONCERNED AFTER OUR ACCESSION TO THE COMMUNITY (THIS WILL HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED NEARER THE TIME), BUT THEY ARE IN LINE WITH OUR DECISION NOT TO SEEK A DEROGATION FROM THE COMMUNITY'S BILATERAL RESTRAINT ARRANGEMENTS WITH INDIA, PAKISTAN, HONG KONG, EGYPT, TAIWAN, SOUTH KOREA AND JAPAN WHICH RUN UNTIL THE AUTUMN OF 1973.

SECRET

16. IF YOU

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