GPS 600
IMMEDIATE
CYPHER CAT A
EM UKMIS GENEVA 14164@Z
CONFIDENTIAL
[FRAME EXTERNAL]
[FRAME ECONOMIC]
4КК 121
161611
1412
CONFIDENTIAL
1
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DESKBY 141830 Z
TO IMEDIATE FCO TELNO 673 OF 14 DECEMBER
INDO IMMEDIATE UKREP BRUSSELS
(415) 416
(413).
MY TELNO 665 AND TELECON MISS LOWNE/BURNS: TEXTILES/MFA 1. THE 113 COMMITTEE RECONVENED THIS MORNING TO HEAR A REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION (SUTTON) ON DEVELOPMENTS SINCE THE WEEKEND, AS A RESULT OF WHICH LONG HAD DECIDED TO RECONVENE THE TEXTILES COMMITTEE AT 1103 TODAY. IN BRIEF THE IMPORTERS HAD DUG THEIR HEELS IN: THE EXPORTERS HAD APPARENTLY CONCLUDED THAT THEY WERE NOT LIKELY TO SECURE ANY FURTHER CHANGES TO THE TEXT OF THE DRAFT PROTOCOL: AND THE QUOTE OTHER UNQUOTE IMPORTERS (IE CANADA, NORDICS, ETC) HAD DECIDED TO PURSUE THEIR PROBLEMS INITIALLY THROUGH THE NEGOTIATION OF BILATERALS AFTER THE COMMUNITY'S EXAMPLE, BEFORE DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT TO SIGN THE RENEWAL PROTOCOL. IT SEEMED ON THIS BASIS THAT LONG WOULD FEEL ABLE TO ANNOUNCE THAT ON THE BASIS OF THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO HIM THERE WAS A BROAD CONSENSUS ON THE TEXT AS CIRCULATED BY DAVIGNON IN BRUSSELS LAST FRIDAY AND (ACCORDING TO THE COMMISSION) FURTHER DISCUSSED IN BRUSSELS YESTERDAY.
2.
SUTTON CONFIRMED WHAT HE HAD EARLIER SAID PRIVATELY TO OURSELVES AND THE FRENCH, THAT BEARING IN MIND SOME MEMBER STATES' INSISTENCE THAT THE COMMISSION SHOULD NOT COMMIT THE COMMUNITY BEFORE THE COUNCIL'S DECISION, THE COMMISXION PROPOSED TO MAKE A UNILATERAL DECLARATION IN THE TEXTILES COMMITTEE WHICH WOULD:
(A) QUOTE TAKE NOTICE UNQUOTE OF THE CONSENSUS:
(B) ANNOUNCE THE COMMISSION'S INTENTION TO SUBMIT THE TEXT, TOGETHER WITH THEIR REPORT ON THE BILATERALS, TO THE COUNCIL FOR ITS DECISION:
(C) EXPRESS THA COMMISSION'S VIEW THAT THE TEXT WOULD PROVIDE A SOUND LEGAL FOUNDATION FOR THE COMMUNITY'S BILATERALS IN THE EVENT OF RENEWAL: AND
(D) PUT DOWN A FIRM MARKER TO THE EFFECT THAT THE COMMUNITY REGARDED THE TSE AS AN ORGAN OF CONCILIATION AND THAT THE
COMMUNITY'S BILATERALS WOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO TSB DISSECTION./SUTTON
CONFIDENOTAT