TNAG-0144-FCO40-180-Exports-of-textiles-to-United-States-of-America-1969 — Page 131

CYPHER/CAT A

CONFIDENTIAL

PRIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

TELEGRAM NO 954

VS File

ما

106

41 Picopt to ens, fe лик, ре Mluv

TO WASHINGTON

25 APRIL 1969

(MT 1/304/4)

CONFIDENTIAL

NEUTRAL

ADDRESSED TO WASHINGTON TELEGRAM NO 954 OF 25 APRIL REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO TOKYO HONG KONG UKMISSION GENEVA BRUSSELS BONN PARIS BERNE ROME UKDEL EEC BRUSSELS.

MR STAN'S VISIT

THE TALKS HERE YESTERDAY AND TODAY FOLLOWED MUCH THE SAME PATTERN AS IN OTHER CAPITALS. STANS EMPHASISED THE NIXON ADMINISTRATION'S DESIRE TO FOLLOW EXPANSIONIST AND LIBERAL TRADE POLICIES. THEY WERE CONCERNED OVER DOMESTIC PROTECTIONIST PRESSURES AND WISHED TO SEIZE THE INITIATIVE BY THE EARLY PRESENTATION OF TRADE LEGISLATION (INCLUDING LEGISLATION ON ASP, THOUGH HE COULD MAKE NO PROMISE). WHAT PRESIDENT NIXON DID WOULD, HOWEVER, DEPEND PARTLY ON STANS'S REPORT ON HIS TRIPS TO EUROPE AND ASIA.

2. EMPHASISING AMERICAN CONCERN OVER NON-TARIFF BARRIERS STANS THOUGHT THAT THE PRESENT TIME, WITH COUNTRIES LIKE GERMANY AND ITALY IN TRADE SURPLUS, MIGHT BE PROPITIOUS FOR A MOVE AHEAD. THE ADDITIONAL TRADE BARRIERS REPRESENTED BY BORDER TAX ADJUSTMENTS CAUSED GREAT CONCERN TO AMERICAN BUSINESSMEN, BUT SUFFICIENT INFORMATION ABOUT TRADE EFFECTS WAS STILL UNAVAILABLE AND THE US GOVERNMENT HAD NO SOLUTIONS YET. ON GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT, STANS REFERRED RATHER OBSCURELY TO NEW THINKING IN O E C D ABOUT A POLICY STATEMENT WHICH WOULD APPLY TO FUTURE ACTION AND QUOTE FORGET PAST SINS UNQUOTE. IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT STATE AND TRADE ASSOCIATION BARRIERS IN THE UNITED STATES, WHICH COULD GET

/WORSE IF

LAST

REF.

NEXT

CONFIDENTIAL

REF.

121

i

CLIVED IN REGISTRY No.51

!NXK6 / 304/1

•