TNAG-0140-FCO40-176-Effect-of-EEC-common-commercial-policy-on-Hong-Kong-exports-1969 — Page 16

CONFIDENTIAL,

pada dalam dala van

VS

United Kingdom Delegation to the European Communities, 28, rue Joseph II,

BRUSSELS 4

18 November, 1969

41

Dear Peter

Common Commercial Policy

RECEIVED IN

REGISTRYNo.43

ZANOV

SNOV 1969

MT 119

I gave lunch today to Wellenstein, the Director General External Trade in the European Commission; and it was as a result of what he said then that I sent our telegram No. 261 (not to all) about the arrangements for the talks which he and Ernst will be having in London on the 1st and 2nd December, Although Wellenstein will no doubt be putting his points to you on that occasion, seemed that it might perhaps be of value if I were to let you know in advance something of the line which he had been taking.

2

it

His thoughts are very much centred on Japan. His greatest anxiety as far as the U.K. was concerned was the question of safe- guard clauses. As you know, some Community countries have safeguard clauses whilst others do not. He was convinced that there would have to be a safeguard clause in respect of the Community as a whole, whereas we in the United Kingdom were working towards surrendering our safeguard clause in return for Japanese liberalisation. I think that he may well press you to reconsider your approach to Anglo/ Japanese trade.

За

He was waiting anxiously to hear the upshot of the talks between the Americans and the Japanese which had taken place in Geneva yesterday. He believed that, although it would involve a reversal of previous positions, the result of these talks might well be a joint U.S.-Japanese proposal that there should be multilateral talks in the G.A.T.T. about non-cotton textiles (with the Japanese trying to add "within the rules of G.A.T.T. or words to that effcct) He himself continued to be unenthusiastic about this idea because he believed that, if such talks were to be started, it would be im- possible to get away from them without some conclusion which the Community would find unwelcome.

!!

4.

He continued to be exercised about the ineffectiveness of the United States Administration in trade policy questions.

Ile said that the Commission had also recently received a visit from Gilbert (we have seen the record of Gilbert's talks at the Board of Tratic) and he had come away with the confirmed impression that Gilbert carried no weight at all. The Comniesion had made it clear

/ to

P.S. Preston, Esq.. Board of Trade,

}

1, Victoria Street,

LONDON, S.W.1.

:-

Copy to J.A. Robinson, Esq., C.M.G., European Integration Dept.,

R.G. Britten, Esq., Trade Policy Jept.

P.W. Ridley, Esq., C.B.E. WASHİNGTÖN.

R.E. Abbott, Baq., UKMis., CLAEVA.

P. Carey, Esq., R. Goldsmith, Esq., and D.1. Dunnett, Esq., Board of Trade.

CONFIDENTIAL