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CONFIDENTIAL
extended to Germany.
This offer has not, unfortunately, been
forthcoming in time for the next meeting of the Textiles
Committee in Brussels on 16 March (Hong Kong telegram No 297).
Mr Jones will take the point up again on his return to Hong
Kong at the end of the week.
4.
Despite this setback the DTI have agreed that our position
at the meeting on 16 March should be:
5.
a.
b.
C.
we will agree to give the Commission a mandate to
negotiate with Hong Kong for restraints on exports
of specific non-cotton textiles which are causing
disruption in particular markets. With such a mandate
the Commission could start talking to Hong Kong about
any Netherlands' problems immediately;
we would have no objection to the mandate also putting
on to a Community-wide basis any restraints on specific
non-cotton textiles which already exist in all 9 Member
countries;
we will not agree to a mandate which either provides
for the extension to all Member countries of restraints
which currently apply only in some or requires the
automatic application in all Member countries of new
restraints which may be negotiated because problems
exist in certain countries.
I think we have held the position for the time being. The
DTI will be replying to Hong Kong telegram No 297. We will
review the situation in the light of the results of the Brussels
/meeting
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CONFIDENTIAL