TNAG-0044-FCO40-80-Exports-to-the-Benelux-countries-aide-memoires-1967 — Page 219

CYPHER/CAT A

IMMEDIATE

COPY FOR REGISTRATION

CONFIDENTIAL

BRUSSELS

TO FOREIGN OFFICE

TEL NO 259 OF 18 MAY 1967

CONFIDENTIAL

17

[NEUTRAL]

ADDRESSED TO GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO 7 OF MAY 18 REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE.

FOLLOWING FROM MARTIN.

COTTON TEXTILE EXPORTS FROM HONG KONG TO THE BENELUX COUNTRIES.

I CALLED AT THE BELGIAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS THIS AFTERNOON

AND M DE WAARD, A DIVISIONAL HEAD OF THE DUTCH MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS (SUPERIOR TO BOTH FEIJ AND STOLP) AND ALSO DE THEULEGOET, AND I WAS INFORMED THAT AN AIDE-MEMOIRE FROM THE BENELUX COUNTRIES HAD BEEN SENT TO THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

LONDON AS WELL AS TO THE CONSULS GENERAL IN HONG KONG TO BE

PASSED TO YOU, SEEKING CONSULTATIONS UNDER ARTICLE 3 OF THE LTA SO THAT RESTRAINT MEASURES COULD BE MADE OPERATIVE FOR THE FOLLOWING ITEMS: NIGHT WEAR FOR MEN AND WOMEN, HANDKERCHIEFS, TABLE, BED AND HOUSEHOLD LINEN OF COTTON, FALLING WITHIN THE BENELUX STATISTICAL NUMBERS 61.33.73, 61.04.50, 61.05.90, 62.02.03. 62.02.05, 62.02.25 AND 62.02.20

2.

IT IS SAID THAT THE DUTCH TEXTILE INDUSTRY IS SUFFERING

A GREAT DEAL FROM IMPORTS PARICULARLY FROM HONG KONG AND THAT, THEREFORE, THE RESTRAINT MEASURES WERE NECESSARY.

130

CONFIDENTIAL

RECEIVED IN

15.63

ARCH

15 Final

HWB 6/2

SENT TO HONG KONG AS COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (D.T.D.) TELEGRAM

NO.

955