PRIORITY
EN CLAIR
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No. 51
10 JAI. 1972
FM HONG KONG 3788552
~ xx/548/1
NEUTRAL/
UNCLASSIFIED
TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 14 OF 7TH JANUARY 1972 INFO PRIORITY
HK GOVT OFFICE LONDON (FOR SELLERS) BRUSSELS (FOR DODGE) AND UKMIS GENEVA (FOR PEARSON).
PARA, 3 OF MY TELEGRAM 980.
COTTON TEXTILES.
FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF THE PRESS STATEMENT:
BEGINS.
LAST
REF.
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REF.
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, MR. C.P. HADDON-CAVE, ACCOMPANIED BY OFFICIALS FROM THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT AND MEMBERS OF THE TEXTILES ADVISORY BOARD, LEAVES FOR BRITAIN TOMORROW EVENING (SATURDAY 8 JANUARY 1972) FOR TRADE TALKS. IN LONDON THEY WILL HOLD
DISCUSSIONS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ON
EXPORTS OF COTTON YARNS AND COTTON WOVEN TEXTILES FROM HONG KONG
TO THE UNITED KINGDOM IN 1972.
THESE DISCUSSIONS ARE A CONTINUATION OF THOSE HELD IN THE EARLY
PART OF DECEMBER LAST YEAR WHEN THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY WENT TO LONDON
FOLLOWING THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S SUDDEN DECISION TO CONTINUE THE QUOTAS ON COTTON IN ADDITION TO THE IMPOSITION OF A TARIFF.
COMMENTING ON THE FORTHCOMING DISCUSSIONS MR HADDON-CAVE SAID
**OUR MAIN CONCERN WILL BE TO SEEK WAYS AND MEANS OF EAGING THE
DIFFICULT SITUATION WHICH THE HONG KONG COTTON TEXTILE PIDUSTRY
IS NOW FACING AS A RESULT OF BRITAIN'S SUDDEN DECISION.
I DO NOT EXPECT THE TALKS TO BE EASY, THEY WILL CERTAINLY
BE DETAILED AND I AM, THEREFORE, VERY PLEASED THAT I SHALL HAVE
AVAILABLE TO ME IN LONDON THE ADVICE AND SUPPORT OF THE HONG KONG
TEXTILES ADVISORY BOARD'' HE SAID.
ENDS
FCO PASS PRIORITY HK GOVT OFFICE LONDON
MACLEHOSE
INTERNA JIONAL TRADE DISTRIBUTION
IKD
COMMOD D
PFD
COPIES TO:
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE,
PALL MALL, LONDON