TNAG-0151-FCO40-187-Exports-of-cotton-textiles-to-Canada-1969 — Page 60

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

CONFIDENTIAL

G

2

IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE FUTURE OF THESE ARRANGEMENTS IS

SETTLED IN GOOD TIME SO AS TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS NO INTERRUPT

TO THE FLOW OF TRADE.. THE ALLOCATION OF QUOTA, ETC. IS A

COMPLICATED AND TIME CONSUMING PROCESG INVOLVING CONSULTATIONS

WITH TEXTILES ADVISORY BOARD. WE PROPOSE TO RENEW EACH

ARRANGEMENT AND THE UNILATERAL UNDERTAKING FOR ONE YEAR

FROM 1ST OCTOBER WITH SUCH IMPROVEMENTS AS CAN RE OBTAINED

IN NEGOTIATIONS. THE FINAL RESULTS WILL UNDOUBTEDLY NEED TO BE

CONSIDERED AS A PACKAGE.

N

3. ONLY NEW PROBLEM RAISED BY CANADIANS IN THE MMF FIELD

CONCERNS POLYESTER/POLYNOSIC SHIRTS. SITUATION IS THAT HONG KONG

HAS BUILT UP A SIGNIFICANT TRADE IN THESE SHIRTS WHICH ARE

VIRTUALLY INDISTINGUISHABLE IN USE FROM POLYESTER/COTTON.

CANADIANS ARE NOW VERY SENSITIVE TO FURTHER IMPORTS OF ANY

DRESS SHIRTS AND THEY HAVE ALREADY THIS YEAR IMPOSED SURCHARGE

AT PENAL LEVEL ON IMPORTS FROM SOUTH KOREA AND MALAYSIA.

MY OPINION, THE ADDITION OF ONE MORE BLEND TO AN EXISTING RESTRAINT,

ESPECIALLY ONE ALMOST IDENTICAL TO FIBRES ALREADY RESTRAINED,

WILL GIVE BUT COLD COMFORT TO THE AMERICANS.

IN

18 TO ME,

4. 1 SHOULD ADD THAT THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM HAD BEEN DRAWN TO

YOUR ATTENTION PREVIOUSLY IN UKMIS, GENEVA TELEGRAM

REPEATED TO YOU, OF 1ST MAY (REPORTING ON JONES' TALK WITH

MACPHERSON OF CANADIAN DEPT OF FINANCE) AND IN MY TELEGRAM

463 OF 7TH JUNE. I WOULD REFER YOU, IN PARTICULAR, TO PARA. 7

OF THE LATTER TELEGRAM.

"

CONFIDENTIAL

/ 5.

AS YOU DID

Page 60Page 61

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