TNAG-0044-FCO40-80-Exports-to-the-Benelux-countries-aide-memoires-1967 — Page 159

CYPHER/CAT A

PRIORITY BRUSSELS

TELEGRAM NO. 406

CONFIDENTIAL

TO FOREIGN OFFICE

31 JULY 1967

48

CONFIDENTIAL

[NEUTRAL]

ADDRESSED TO GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO 19 OF 31 JULY REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO GENEVA (FOR JONES).

FOLLOWING FROM MARTIN.

BENELUX TEXTILES:

DURING TELEPHONE CONVERSATIONS WITH STOLP AND WITH HENDRICKS (OF THE BELGIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY) THIS MORNING, PORTER WAS INFORMED THAT THE GATT SECRETARIAT HAD NOT YET DISTRIBUTED TO LTA 14/5/1 PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES THE COPY OF THE BENELUX MEMORANDUM OF 17 MAY WHICH HAD BEEN FORWARDED TO THE SECRETARIAT ON 30 JUNE BY THEIR REPRESENTATIVE IN GENEVA, THE SECRETARIAT HAVE ASKED IF THEY SHOULD NOW DO SO.

2. THE BENELUX GOVERNMENTS ARE WILLING TO ASK THE SECRETARIAT TO DISTRIBUTE INSTEAD A LETTER (WHICH THEY WOULD COPY TO US) SIMPLY SAYING THAT THEY HAD REQUESTED HONG KONG TO CONSULT ON COTTON TEXTILES PROBLEMS WHICH HAD ARISEN, THAT CONSULTATIONS HAVE NOW BEEN HELD AND THAT A MUTUALLY SATISFACTORY AGREEMENT HAS BEEN REACHED. I

SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD CONFIRM YOUR AGREEMENT TO THIS

PROPOSAL.

3. THE ADVANTAGE OF THIS ARRANGEMENT OF COURSE WOULD BE THAT UNDUE

ATTENTION WOULD NOT BE DRAWN TO THE IMPORT RESTRICTIONS WHICH WERE IMPOSED, ALTHOUGH THIS IS IMPLIED AT PARAGRAPH 3 (11) OF HONG KONG'S UNILATERAL UNDERTAKING WHICH WILL PRESUMABLY HAVE TO BE DISTRIBUTED.

IN RETROSPECT AND IN THE LIGHT OF THIS KNOWLEDGE IT WOULD PROBABLY

HAVE BEEN BETTER IF THAT PARAGRAPH HAD BEEN WORDED SOMEWHAT

DIFFERENTLY IN ORDER THAT THE WORD 'RESUME' DID NOT APPEAR. THIS PERHAPS COULD HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED BY SIMPLY SAYING QUOTE THE BENELUX GOVERNMENTS WILL FREELY LICENCE IMPORTS WITH EFFECT FROM 18 JULY

UNQUOTE. IT IS APPRECIATED THAT IT IS TOO LATE TO AMEND THIS BUT RECEIVED INPULA MAY BE USEFUL ON FUTURE SIMILAR OCCASIONS. ARCHIVES 15.63.

· 2 AUG1967

HW66/2

bu 15.8.67.

have 2

ANG

3/3

LAST

CONFIDENTIAL.

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