NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
and
persevering ly
3.
only agree to voluntary restraints if a well-
documented, statistically sound case of damage
from particular products to the Community's
industry (or "regional" ie national sectors of it)
is convincingly presented.
Please let the appropriate authorities know on
19 January that this is the line we propose to take.
You should emphasise that we believe and intend this
line to help with the German textile problem. We have
sympathy with their desire for restraints on non-
thair
cottons of which imports have increased dramatically
and to an extent that we believe may well be damaging i
German industry although no supporting case has been
put forward.
4. We think that if either the Federal German
Government or the Commission approach Hong Kong and/or
the other Asian countries with a good case on specific
items they will (after inevitable argument) get what
they need. The near-comprehensive proposals of the
Commission on the other hand would:
(a)
be likely to be counter productive for this
particular purpose;
(b)
more fundamentally, establish an objectionab!
protectionist principle for the Community's
textile policy and for future worldwide
arrangements for trade in textiles.
5. Posts in other Community capitals please speak on
similar lines to appropriate authorities.
こ
18/5
І в.