IMMEDIATE
EN CLAIR
FM BONN 6218002
UNCLASSIFIED
[NEUTRAL]
1973
TOP COPY
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TELNO 1 OF 2 FEBRUARY, INFO PRIORITY BRUSSELS FOR DODGE (HONG KONG OFFICE), FCO, UKREP BRUSSELS, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE, LONDON,
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YOURTEL NO 132 TO FCO, PARAGRAPH 4
RESTRAINTS ON EXPORTS OF
A
POLYESTER/COTTON TEXTILES TO THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC.
1. MISTER (ECONOMIC) HAS THIS AFTERNOON RECEIVED A TELEX MESSAGE FROM THE FOREIGN TRADE ASSOCIATION OF THE GERMAN RETAIL
TRADE IN THE FOLLOWING TERMS
BEGINS
GERMAN TRADE HAS TODAY BEEN CONFRONTED BY EXPORT RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED AUTONOMOUSLY AND WITHOUT WARNING BY HONG KONG. THE
COMPLETE RANGE OF HONG KONG'S EXPORTS TO THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC
IN COODS CONSISTING OF MIXTURES OF POLYESTER AND COTTON IS
LIMITED WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT. UNTIL EXPORT QUOTAS FOR INDIVIDUAL
HONG KONG EXPORTERS HAVE BEEN WORKED OUT, THE ISSUE OF EXPORT
LICENCES HAS BEEN SUSPENDED, AS A RESULT THERE IS A DANGER
THAT FOR 4 WEEKS ALL SHIPMENTS FROM HONG KONG WILL COME TO A
STANDSTILL.
THIS ABNORMAL STEP BY THE HONG KONG ADM!#!] STRATION FORCES ME TO
ASK YOU TO MAKE AN APPROACH TO THAT ADMINISTRATION. THE GERMAH
TRADE PROTESTO AGAINST THIS ONE-SIDED INTERFERENCE IN BUSINESS
CONNECTIONS BETWEEN INTERNATIONAL TRADING PARTNERS, CONNECTIONS WHICH MOREOVER, ARE PROTECTED BY INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL LAW. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT ONE-SIDED MEASURES BY THE HONG
KONG ECONOMIC ADMINISTRATION HAVE GROSSLY DISRECARDED THE
PROTECTION WHICH THE IMPORTER ENJOYS IN WORLD MARKETS.
و
I WOULD FURTHER COMMENT THAT GERMAN TRADING INTERESTS, AND ESPECIALLY THE DEPARTMENT STORES, MAIL ORDER HOUSES AND BUYING
ASSOCIATIONS IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC HAVE BEEN SUBSTANTIALLY
RESPONSIBLE FOR PUILDING UP THE MARKET POSITION OF HONG KONG
EXPORTS IN THE CONSUMER GOODS SECTOR, HENCE IT SEEMS ALL THE
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