** 13 HIS OFF THE CUFF REACTION REPORTED IN MY TELNO 1366, THE DIRECTOR OBVIOUSLY DID NOT FULLY APPRECIATE THE EXTENT TO WHICH
MANUFACTURERS HAD COMMITTED THEMSELVES.
EM I WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS ON THESE PROPOSALS AS
SOON AS POSSIBLE AND PARTICULARLY ON WHAT CAN BE OFFERED TO HELP ALLEVIATE THE DIFFICULT POSITION IN WHICH SOME MANUFACTURERES, A ACTING I GOOD FAITH ON THE STRENGTH OF OUR PREVICUS STATENCHTS OF POLICY, ARE LIKELY TO FIND THEMSELVES.
THE SINGAPORE GOVERNMENT'S REPLY IS COPIRED IN MODERATE AND
BUSINESSLIKE TERMS.
THIS DOES NOT MEAN THEY HAVE NOT TAKEN NOTE OF THE APPARENTLY CAVALIER WAY IN WHICH THIS DECISION WAS TAKEN AND ITS DISREGARD FOR THE POSITION OF MANUFACTURERS IN THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. I CANNOT BUT SYMPATHISE WITH THE REACTION OF LOCAL MANUFACTURERS
OVER THE ELEVENTH-HOUR ANNOUNCEMENT OF THIS DECISION. HO-ONE HERE IS QUERYING THE RIGHT OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO CONTINUE THE QUARTATIVE RESTRICTION ON TEXTILE IMPORTS BUT THE WAY IN WHICH IT HAS BEEN PRESENTED DOES LITTLE FOR OUR CRED- IBILITY AT A TIME WHEN WE ARE MAKING EVERY EFFORT TO ASSURE SINGAPORE AND THE REST OF SOUTH EAST ASIA THAT OUR FORTHCOMING ENTRY INTO EUROPE (AND THE REDUCTION IN OUR DEFENCE COMMITMENT HERE) DOES NOT, IN ANY WAY, INDICATE A LESSENING OF INTEREST IN THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES OF SOUTHEAST ASIA.
4. WE HAVE BEEN FURTHER EMBARRASSED BY THE LACK OF THE FULL TEXT OF MR DAVIES' ANNNOUNCEMENT WHICH REACHED US BY BAG ON 16 DECEMBER, WITH ONLY TWO WEEKS TO GO BEFORE THE ARRANGEMENTS COME INTO EFFECT, WE HAVE STILL NOT RECEIVED THE DETAILS REFERRED TO IN THE PENULTIMATE PARAGRAPH OF MR DAVIES STATEMENT.
TALLE
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