TNAG-0172-FCO40-208-United-Kingdom-Productivity-and-Efficiency-Study-effect-on-H-1969 — Page 99

CYPHER/CAT A

CONFIDENTIAL

PRIORITY HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 545

CONFIDENTIAL

U.K. TEXTILE COUNCIL REPORT,

TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

10 JULY 1969

AS IT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO US THAT AN EARLY DECISION MAY BE TAKEN ON

THE INTRODUCTION OF A TARIFF ON COTTON TEXTILE IMPORTS FROM THE COMMONWEALTH, I WOULD WISH TO UNDERLINE AGAIN THAT SUCH COMMENTS AS

WE HAVE MADE SO FAR HAVE BEEN ONLY PRELIMINARY AND TENTATIVE AND

HAVE BEEN MADE WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF THE ADVICE OF THE TEXTILES

ADVISORY BOARD AND THE TRADE ASSOCIATIONS CONCERNED. IN PARTICULAR,

JORDAN'S COMMENTS AT HUGHES MEETING IN THE BOT ON 23 JUNE WERE,

AS HE EMPHASISED AT THE TIME, NO MORE THAN TENTATIVE. HE RAISED THE

SUBJECT MORE TO ENQUIRE WHAT SUPPORT THE PROPOSAL HAD IN OFFICIAL

QUARTERS IN LONDON.

I AM SURE YOU WILL BE WELL AWARE THAT, IF A DECISION TO IMPOSE A TARIFF WERE TAKEN IN LONDON BEFORE THE TRADE IN HONG KONG HAD BEEN

CONSULTED AND FORMAL REPRESENTATIONS MADE TO YOU, WE SHOULD CLEARLY BE LIABLE TO SEVERE AND JUSTIFIED CRITICISM HERE. IF, THEREFORE,

AN EARLY DECISION IS AT ALL LIKELY, I MUST NOW BE PERMITTED TO

ARRANGE FOR THE WHOLE QUESTION TO BE DISCUSSED BY THE TEXTILES

ADVISORY BOARD SO THAT WE MAY HAVE THE BENEFIT OF THEIR VIEWS BEFORE

PREPARING MORE DEFINITIVE COMMENTS. THIS WILL, OF NECESSITY, TAKE A

LITTLE TIME.

LAST

REF.

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No.51) 11 JUL 1969

NEX

REF.

149

13. I SHOULD

14KX6/548/8

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CONFIDENTIAL