TNAG-0142-FCO40-178-Long-term-policy-on-International-trade-in-textiles-1969 — Page 135

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CYPHER/CAT A IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 713

CONFIDENTIAL

PERSONAL FROM GOVERNOR.

CONFIDENTIAL

PFTCCE:

TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OPFICCE +

11 SEPTEMBER 1969

YOUR TELEGRAMS 594 AND 595: TEXTILE POLICY.

I UNDERSTAND THAT

I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT. JORDAN WAS NOT PERMITTED TO ATTEND THE OFFICIAL POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING BUT HAS LEFT COMMENTS ON THE UNAMENDED PAPER

WITH BOTH F.C.O. AND B.O.T.

2. YOU WILL APPRECIATE THAT TO OUR EYES THE PAPER (WHICH WE HAVE, OF COURSE, ONLY SEEN IN THE UNAMENDED FORM) AND COVERING NOTE APPEAR TO PE WRITTEN VERY LARGELY FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF AN IMPORTING COUNTRY: OR, TO THE EXTENT THAT THE VIEWS EXPRESSED REPRESENT EXPORTING INTERESTS, THEY ARE THOSE OF RICHER COUNTRIES. THEY THEREFORE NATURALLY FAIL TO REFLECT ADEQUATELY THE INTERESTS OF EXPORTING COUNTRIES, PARTICULARLY THOSE IN HONG KONG''S POSITION. INDEED THE POLICIES PROPOSED ARE POTENTIALLY DAMAGING IN SOME RESPECTS.

3. IT IS TRUE THAT IT IS INTENDED THAT HMG DO THEIR BEST TO SECURE AMENDMENTS TO THE C T A DESIGNED TO FORCE OTHER COUNTRIES TO INTERPRET IT MORE LIBERALLY, ALTHOUGH THIS IS NOT SO MUCH WITH A VIEW TO BENEFITING EXPORTING COUNTRIES AS TO REDISTRIBUTING THE UK BURDEN OF LOW-COST IMPORTS''. WE TOO WOULD OF COURSE LIKE TO SEE SOME LIBERALISATION OF THE C T A ALTHOUGH WE WOULD HAVE ALSO LIKED TO HAVE HAD SOME EVIDENCE THAT THIS POLICY WAS SUCCEEDING BEFORE HMG TOOK THE DECISION TO IMPOSE TARIFFS WHICH APPEAR TO BE SPECIALLY AIMED AT INDIA, PAKISTAN AND HONG KONG AND WHICH WILL UNDOUBTEDLY DO HONG KONG SERIOUS DAMAGE. MOREOVER HMG HAVE

RECEIVED, IN REGISTRY No. 51 12 SEP 1969

DKK 6/31

G

CONF

CONFIDENTIAL

у

/RESERVED

combined with restored Suster?

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