GR 390
PRIORITY
CYPHER CAT A
FM SEOUL 260535Z
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FRAME EXTERNAL/
NOT
RECEIVED IN REGY.
Ke
HKK
Kr. 121/616),
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TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 243 OF 26 OCTOBER 1977, R F 1 PRIORITY
TO UKREP BRUSSELS.
YOUR TELNO 164: RENEWAL OF MULTIFIBRE ARRANGEMENT SOUTH KOREA.
1. IN THE COURSE OF A DISCUSSION AT THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE
AND INDUSTRY THIS MORNING ASSISTANT MINISTER PARK PIL SOO TOLD
MICHAEL BUTLER AND MYSELF THAT THE KOREANS HAVE ALREADY SENT
REPRESENTATIVES TO PARTICIPATE IN BILATERAL NEGOTIATIONS IN
BRUSSELS.
2. PARK PIL SOO SAID THAT THE BASIC POSITION OF THE KOREAN GOVERNMENT, AS EXPLAINED TO TRAN VAN TINH IN AUGUST, IS THAT THE KOREANS LOOK FORWARD TO THE RENEWAL OF THE MEA WHICH THEY
AGREE IS DESIRABLE IF MAJOR DISRUPTION IS TO BE AVOIDED. HE
SAID THAT THE KOREANS HAVE ALWAYS WORKED OUT THEIR EXPORT
STRATEGY WITHIN THE 6 PER CENT INCREASE AND HAVE FULLY OBSERVED
THE PROVISIONS OF THE MFA. WHILE THE KOREANS DO NOT RULE OUT
A REASONABLE DEPARTURE FROM THE MFA GROWTH RATE, THEY WOULD WISH TO CONSIDER CAREFULLY THE TERMINOLOGY OF ANY PROPOSALS IN THAT
DIRECTION AND THE EFFECT OF THEIR APPLICATION WOULD HAVE TO BE
CLOSELY STUDIED. THESE MATTERS ARE FOR DISCUSSION AT THE TABLE, BUT THE KOREANS WILL BE VERY UNHAPPY IF THE 1976 LEVEL IS FORCED ON THEM, LET ALONE THE APPLICATION OF A FURTHER CUT- BACK. ACCORDING TO PARK PIL SOO, THE ADMINISTRATION OF ANY EXPORT QUOTAS BASED ON 1976 WOULD BE EXTREMELY COMPLICATED
AND WOULD CAUSE CHAOS IN THE LOCAL INDUSTRY.
CONFIDENTIAL
13.