TNAG-0172-FCO40-208-United-Kingdom-Productivity-and-Efficiency-Study-effect-on-H-1969 — Page 34

CONFIDENTIAL, braltar, laços,

Draft telegram to Delhi (repeat Bombay),

Nairobi, Belizaingston, Kuala Lumpur, Valetta, Singapore, Nicosia, Pretoria, Karachi, Canberra, Wellington, Ottawa.

Cotton Textiles text of

M.l.f.t. gives statement on future cotton textiles import

policy to be made in House by President of Board of Trade at

3-30 p.m. on Tuesday, 22nd July. This telegram gives general

guidance.

The text of the statement should be handed over to

Governments to which you are accredited, at a senior level, on a

strictly confidential basis shortly before the announcgmert is

made.

2. We realise that the initial reaction of many Commonwealth

Governments to this decision will be unfavourable,

Ministers

have taken a firm decision to realne tra quotas by a tariff ân

1st January, 1-72, but the terms of the statement are geared to

securing its accentance (underline acceptance) by those Govern-

ments in the Commonwealth preference area which have "rade

Agreement rights to duty-free entry. The timing of the

proposed change will give angle opportunity for the necessary

discussions with those countries.

3. As the tariff will not take effect until 1st January, 1972,

and as all the Governments of all countries affected in the

C .A. will clearly want to have very full discussions about the

+

change, you will wish as far as possible to avoid detailed

discussiony at this stage. The Minister of State at the

Board of Prede ("r. Dell) intends to speak personally to the

High Commissioners of Canada, Australie; New Zealand, Singapore,

Malaysia, Jamaica, India and Pakistan; and arrangements will he

made for officials to speak to appropriate representatives in

London of Malta, South Africa, Trinidad, Ceylon, Cyprus ard

Guyana,

Meanwhile, you may make use of the following points at

your discretion:

(A) You should emphasise that the tariff proposal will be

fully discussed with the countries which enjoy con-

tractual rights and that we shall naturally be

prepared to listen to the viers of other Commonwealth

/countries