EN CLAIR
Bixhle Corucil Files
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
103
RAWALPINDI
ΤΟ
TELEGRAM NO. 656
24 JULY 1969
UNCLASSIFIED
/NEUTRAL/
YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 442 /SIC/: COTTON TEXTILES.
ALTHOUGH THERE HAS SO FAR BEEN NO EDITORIAL REACTION TO
COMMONS STATEMENT, BOTH KARACHI LARGE CIRCULATION MORNING PAPERS (DAWN AND MORNING NEWS) CARRY ADVERSE COMMENT BY COTTON TRADE
SPOKESMEN, REPRESENTATIVE OF TEXTILE MILL OWNERS ASSOCIATION
SAID REPLACEMENT OF QUOTA SYSTEM BY TARIFF WOULD FAVOUR EUROPEAN
COMPETITORS ESPECIALLY PORTUGAL, ITALY AND SPAIN AS THEIR PRODUCTS
PAID LITTLE FREIGHT OWING TO GEOGRAPHICAL ADVANTAGE, MUCH RESENTMENT
FELT AT PREFERENCE GIVEN TO EFTA COUNTRIES IN VIEW OF TARIFF-
FREE PREFERENCES ALREADY ENJOYED BY COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES UNDER
OTTAWA AGREEMENT ON IMPERIAL PREFERENCES 1932. BRITAIN'S
PREFERENCE FOR EFTA COUNTRIES... WILL SERIOUSLY JEOPARDISE
BRITISH POLITICAL FUTURE AND COMPROMISE UK'S ROLE AS COMMONWEALTH'S
MOTHER COUNTRY'.
9 3
!
2. ASSERTION THAT PAKISTAN WAS UNLIKELY TO ''SUFFER UNDER
TARIFF IS SCOFFED AT: DUTY IS BOUND TO SERIOUSLY AFFECT
PAKISTAN'S EXPORT EARNINGS, SPOKESMEN OF ASSOCIATION SAID IT WAS
EN CUMBENT ON PAKISTAN GOVERNMENT TO TAKE WHATEVER MEASURES WERE NECESSARY TO COUNTER LATEST BRITISH MOVE. TARIFF, IN ADDITION TO PURCHASE TAX AND IMPORT DEPOSIT SCHEME, " " WILL BE TOO MUCH FOR PRODUCER DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IN PRESENT DAY COMPETITIVE WORLD MARKET''.
3. OTHER BUSINESS LEADERS COMMENT ALONG SIMILAR LINES.
MR. TWIST
INTERNATIONAL TRADE DISTRIBUTION
TRADE POLICY DEPT.
NNNNN
TV'D IN
R CITY No.51 28 JUL 1969
NICK
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