CYPHER CAT A
CONFIDENTIAL
IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELEGRAM NUMBER 2163
TO WASHINGTON
9 OCTOBER 1969. (COMMODITIES)
278
CONFIDENTIAL.
NEUTRAL.
ADDRESSED TO WASHINGTON TELEGRAM NO 2163 OF 9 OCTOBER REPEATED
FOR INFORMATION TO HONG KONG UKMIS GENEVA TOKYO OTTAWA,
YOUR TELEGRAMS 2714 AND 2715.
TEXTILES.
WE AGREE THAT IS IS IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THAT THE PRESIDENT IS
AWARE OF THE FULL PICTURE BEFORE IRREVOCABLE DECISIONS ARE TAKEN AND THAT A MESSAGE TO HIM MAY BE APPROPRIATE AT SOME STAGE. BUT WE MUST TAKE CARE TO PLAY THIS CARD ONLY WHEN IT WILL BE MOST
EFFECTIVE.
2. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE SHOULD KEEP IN LINE WITH THE OTHER PRINCIPAL COUNTRIES CONCERNED. WE DO NOT THINK THERE HAS
BEEN ANY BRAKING OF RANKS YET IN THE FRONT OF INTERNATIONAL OPPOSITION TO STANS. THE JAPANESE ARE TALKING TO THE AMERICANS
IN TOKYO THIS WEEK, BUT WE DO NOT EXPECT THEM TO GIVE ANY GROUND AT LEAST BEFORE THEIR PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO WASHINGTON IN
NOVEMBER. WE CANNOT SEE THE AMERICANS TAKING UNILATERAL ACTION
IN THE MEANTIME.
3. NO MESSAGE OF THIS CHARACTER COULD BE DELIVERED IN TIME
TO AFFECT THE U.S. ATTITUDE DURING THIS WEEK'S MEETINGS OF THE
COTTON TEXTILES COMMITTEE AND IT SEEMS WORTH WHILE FIRST SEEING
HOW FAR THE AMERICANS SHOW THEIR HAND THERE AND AT THE DISCUSSIONS
WITH HONG KONG REPRESENTATIVES.
4. IN THE LIGHT OF THE CONSIDERATIONS IN PARAS. 1-3 ABOVE,
WE ARE INCLINED TO THINK THAT THE BEST TIME FOR INTERVENTION WITH.. THE PRESIDENT, IF IT PROVES NECESSARY, WILL BE SOMEWHAT LATER ON,
ERHAPS JUST BEFORE MR. SATO'S VISIT RATHER THAN NOW. WE SHOULD
WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS ON THIS VIEW. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO US TO KNOW WHY YOU NOW TAKE SO DIFFERENT A VIEW OF. STANS' PROSPECTS
OF SUCCESS THAN THAT CONVEYED IN YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 2556 PARA.4. 5. WE ARE GLAD TO SEE THAT UKMIS GENEVA TELEGRAM 535, JUST RECEIVED, LARGELY CONCURS WITH THE FOREGOING..
STEWART
264)
RECEIVED IN
LAST
'
REGISTRY No.51
REF.
14 OCT 1969
NEXT
REF.
279
CONFIDENTIAL
INTERNATIONAL TRADE DISTRIBUTION
COMMODITIES DEPT.
HONG KONG DEPT.
220
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