TNAG-0164-FCO40-200-Export-of-textiles-to-Norway-and-Sweden-1969 — Page 196

CONFIDENTIAL

CYFHER/CAT A

S

PRIORITY

HONG KONG

TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

TELEGPAM NUMBER 391

16 APRIL 1969

CONFIDENTIAL [NEUTRAL]

ADDRESSED FCO TELEGRAM 301 OF 16 APRIL RFI STOCKHOLM,

UKMIS GENEVA (FOR JONES) AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENT LONDON OFFICE (FOR

SELLERS).

(၆၅)

YOUR SAVING DESPATCH 136 AND TELEGRAM 227 : SWEDISH TEXTILE NEGOT-

IATIONS.

PENDING SWEDISH CLARIFICATION OF THEIR INTENTIONS AND SUPPLY OF

FURTHER TABLES, MY VIEWS BELOW ARE BASED ON AVAILABLE STATISTICS

FIGURES IN THOUSAND PIECES AND TABLE NUMBERS REFER TO SWEDISH

GARMENT TABLES FOR COTTON AND NON-COTTON OF 12/3/69).

2. COTTON ITEMS.

IN VIEW OF OUR SHARE OF THE SWEDISH MARKET THE CASE FOR RENEWAL OF

ITEMS IN TABLES 1A, 1D, 5 AND 6 IS REASONABLE. WE WILL RESIST ITEMS IN TABLES 18, 3 AND 7 MORE STRONGLY. I INTEND TO TAKE TABLE 8 AS A

WHOLE AS THE NEW ITEM IN 8B IS A BETTER CASE THAN THE EXISTING ONE

IN SA AND HOPE TO GIVE E/AS ONLY. THE SWEDES ALSO APPEAR TO HAVE

REASONABLE CASES FOR ITEMS IN TABLES 1C AND 2, BUT WOULD ARGUE THAT

RESTRAINT ON ITEM IN TABLE 4 WOULD NOT REVIVE THE MARKET OR

SWEDISH PRODUCTION. IN GENERAL, I DO NOT PROPOSE TO CONCEDE ANY NEW

ITEMS, BY HOLDING THEM TO THEIR MEMORANDUM, UNLESS IT IS NECESSARY

TACTICALLY - ESPECIALLY HAVING REGARD TO THE NON-COTTON ITEMS.

3. NON-COTTON ITEMS.

(1) KNITWEAR TABLE 2(1) INCLUDES MEN'S AND BOYS' SYNTHETIC

NOT UNDER RESTRAINT. IN 1968 GROUP PRODUCTION DECLINED 345, TOTAL

IMPORTS FELL 189, BUT INCREASE OF 25% FROM HONG KONG. FIGURES GIVEN

RECEIVED IN

RICISTRY MC1 16 APR 1969

HKK6/531/1

NEXT

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/AT GENEVA

CONFIDENTIAL.

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