TNAG-0146-FCO40-182-Exports-of-textiles-to-United-States-of-America-1969 — Page 167

us Fild

Yile 201

CYPHER/CAT+A+.

PRIORITY WASHINGTON

TELEGRAM NUMBER 2135

CONFIDENTIAL.

NEUTRAL.

CONFIDENTIAL

TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

29 JULY 1969.

ADDRESSED TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TELEGRAM NUMBER 2135 OF 29 JULY REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO HONG KONG UKMIS GENEVA UKDEL PRUSSELS TOKYO SEOUL AND OTTAWA

(F.C.O., GENEVA AND BRUSSELS PLEASE COPY TO HONG KONG OFFICES.)

U.S. TEXTILE POLICY.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES YESTERDAY MR. MILLS, CHAIRMAN OF WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE, MADE A STRONG STATEMENT (COPIES BY AIR MAIL) TO THE EFFECT THAT UNLESS AN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT TO CONTROL ALL TEXTILES IS REACHED BY THIS AUTUMN CONGRESS WILL PASS LEGISLATION IMPOSING UNILATERAL IMPORT CONTROLS. KEY SENTENCES WERE QUOTE IF THE EFFORTS OF SECRETARY STANS CANNOT SUCCEED THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE BUT FOR THE CONGRESS TO LEGISLATE ON THIS SUBJECT EEFORE THE END OF THE PRESENT SESSION. WHAT IS REQUIRED IS A NEW INTERNATIONAL ARRANGEMENT MAKING POSSIBLE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF IMPORT RESTRAINTS ON WOOL, MANMADE FIBRE AND BLENDED TEXTILE ARTICLES. NOTHING ELSE WILL SUFFICE. AN ARRANGEMENT WITH COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL. IF OUR TRADING PARTNERS THINK WE LACK THE WILL TO PASS A UNILATERAL ARRANGEMENT IN THE CONGRESS THEY ARE SADLY MISTAKEN UNQUOTE.

2. THE STATEMENT IS CLEARLY TIMED TO INFLUENCE THE MINISTERIAL DISCUSSION STARTING IN JAPAN TODAY, AND SOME SENTENCES ARE AIMED AT THE JAPANESE IN PARTICULAR.

r

DIN

R. TRY Nɔ.51

30 JUL 1969

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CONFIDENTIAL

13.