TNAG-0143-FCO40-179-Exports-of-textiles-to-United-States-of-America-1969 — Page 45

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U.S. PROTECTIONISM & U.S. TEXTILE IMPORTS

As I mentioned to you, the Commercial Counsellor in the Japanese Embassy is coming to see me at 10.30 a.m. tomorrow, 9th April, to ask once again what our attitude is likely to be to the main issue which we expect to put during Mr. Stans'

visit.

2. I have ascertained that the Japanese Embassy have not so far asked for interviews with I.1 and the F.C.O., and I have arranged for a representative from the Commodities Department of the F.C.0. to attend my meeting, in the hope of preventing the Japanese Embassy asking too many different people the same questions.

3. We agreed that I should say that on previous occasions we had opposed American efforts to extend the G.A.T.T. Long Term Arrangement to other textiles, and that we are still opposed to this, and were far from satisfied that the U.S. textile industry needed any special measure of protection.

4. If pressed to say whether we would agree to attend a conference in the G.A.T.T. to discuss the matter (knowing that the Japanese and the Italians are opposed to doing so), I would say that Mr. Stans is not due here for over a fortnight, and that we shall have to consult Ministers, and so are not yet in a position to say exactly what tactics we shall adopt.

Mr. Goldsmith (CRE.1)

c.c. Mr. Wells

}

Mr. Hughes (SEC)

Mr. Peck

Mr. MacMahon (CRE.4) Mr. Carey (1.1)

Mr. Denman G.1) Mr. Jupp

Mr.Stewart) (1.1)

Mr. Inglefield (CRE.4) Mr. Collings (F.C.0.

(E.W.M. MAGOR)

CRE.4

8th April, 1969.

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