CYPHER/CAT A
CONFIDENTIAL
IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELEGRAM NUMBER 595
TO HONG KONG
9 SEPTEMBER 1969.
(COMMODITIES)
CONFIDENTIAL AND PERSONAL.
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR
TEXTILE POLICY
MIPT. FOLLOWING IS TEXT:-
BEGINS
THE ATTACHED PAPER, WHICH TAKES ACCOUNT OF DISCUSSION IN
THE OFFICIAL COMMITTEE ON COMMERCIAL POLICY, CONSIDERS THE LINE
WHICH THE UNITED KINGDOM DELEGATION SHOULD TAKE IN THE GENEVA TALKS
WHICH WILL BEGIN
WILL BEGIN IN OCTOBER ON THE QUESTION OF A STRAIGHT
EXTENSION OF THE LONG TERM ARRANGEMENT ON COTTON TEXTILES AND ALSO
ON THE QUESTION OF THE POSSIBLE WIDENEING OF ITS SCOPE TO COVER
NON-COTTON TEXTILES.
2. THE LONG TERM ARRANGEMENT EXPIRES ON SEPTEMBER 30TH, 1979, AND THERE IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY THAT THE U.S. WILL PROPOSE THAT IT SHOULD NOT ONLY BE EXTENDED FOR THREE YEARS, BUT THAT IT SHOULD HENCEFORTH COVER NON-COTTON TEXTILES AS WELL.
3. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RECENT MINISTERIAL DECISION, WE PROPOSE TO
ABOLISH OUR QUOTAS ON COTTON TEXTILES AS FROM JANUARY 1ST, 1972, AND TO REPLACE THEM, IN THE CASE OF COMMONWEALTH IMPORTS, WITH A TARIFF. WE OURSELVES, THEREFORE, NEED COVER FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF OUR QUOTAS FOR THE PERIOD UP TO THE END OF 1971, BUT IT WOULD SUIT US VERY WELL TO SEE THE LTA TERMINATED FROM 1972. THERE IS
HOWEVER, VIRTUALLY NO PROSPECT THAT THIS CAN BE ACHIEVED, BECAUSE OTHER MAJOR IMPORTING COUNTRIES FIND THE ARRANGEMENT TOO
CONVENIENT.
4. IT IS, THEREFORE, PROPOSED IN THE PAPER THAT WE SHOULD DO OUR BEST TO SECURE AMENDMENTS TO THE TERMS OF THE LTA WHICH WILL FORCE
OTHER IMPORTING COUNTRIES TO INTERPRET IT MORE LIBERALLY: AND
ON THIS BASIS WE SHOULD ACCEPT THE EXTENSION OF THE ARRANGEMENT
FOR THREE YEARS, ALTHOUGH IF THE EXTENSION COULD BE FOR TWO YEARS
ONLY, SO MUCH THE BETTER.
10
CONFIDENTIAL
12
/5. WE
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