TNAG-0157-FCO40-193-Export-of-textiles-to-Greece-1969 — Page 32

OARD

RAD

Our reference: Your reference:

CRE. 20327/G

BOARD OF TRADE

Commercial Relations and Exports Department

1 Victoria Street, LONDON S.W.1 Telex: 25955 Answer Back: BOTHQ LONDON

Telegrams: Advantage London S.W.1 Telephone: ABBEY 7877, ext. 2621

2

8th November, 1968

Dear Mr. Stewart

Greek Restrictions on Imports of Textiles from Hong Kong

I am afraid that we have owed you a letter for a long time in reply to Mr. Glover's letter of 20th September to me on this question. I have also had a copy of Hong Kong savingram of 1st November (TC 222/66) asking whether we consider that a note might now be submitted to the Greek Government on this question.

There has been no real change in the situation since last year but since a delegation of Greek businessmen who came recently to the Board mentioned the problem of U.K. restrictions on imports of cotton textiles from Greece, we can no longer assume that the Greek Government have forgotten all about this. There was, moreover, a Parliamentary Question on 4th November (by Sir J.Rodgers) about the imports of cotton textiles from Greece. The argument, therefore, that to present a note by Hong Kong would wake up an embarrassing problem has lost some of its force; moreover, the longer the period which goes by without formal representations from the Greeks the weaker their case if they do present it after a long period of acceptance.

I wish that when this was raised in 1967 we said that we should in any case like to avoid making representations before the Session of the GATT Contracting Parties which was due to begin in November was under way, since we wanted to avoid raising any questions about cotton textiles during the Session. The position is the same again; the next Session of the GATT begins on 11th November and goes on for three weeks. Cotton textiles, as usual, figures on the agenda and we should like to keep quiet until the Session is over. I think, however, it would be unreasonable for us to suggest any further delay in the presentation of Hong Kong's note and we shall be content that it should be presented after the end of the Session, at the end of this year or the beginning of next.

As for the question whether the prospects for success are any better than they were last year, I am afraid the answer is that we do not think so. The Greeks still have a heavy imbalance of trade with the Sterling Area and the recent business delegation stressed this problem at length in a meeting with Lord Brown. Nevertheless, I think the time has come at which we should agree that Hong Kong should at any rate have a go if they think it worthwhile.

I am copying this letter to Mr. K. D. Rogers who has taken over from Mr. Pownall and to Mr. Gowers and Mrs. Bretherton in Industries 1 Division.

H. Stewart, Esq.,

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Hong Kong Department,

Foreign and Commonwealth Office,

Matthew Parker Street,

S.W.1.

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Yours sincerely,

Jean R RulliJHT

. E. Elliott (Miss)