FINANCIAL TIMES
24 JUL 1969
Cutting dated
19
India, Hong Kong
'shock' at textile duty
BY OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
11
10
NEW DELHI, July 23.
ferences was introduced. Secondly, it ignores British obligations to And Commonwealth countries. thirdly, the levy introduces discri- mination between EFTA and Commonwealth countries.
A FOREIGN Trade Ministry under which a scheme of pre- spokesman to-day expressed great surprise at the British Government's announcement that a 15 per cent. duty would be levied cotton textile imports and pointed out that India would be worst affected by this.
on
The spokesman said it had been expected that further consultations would be held with India before a British decision was taken since there had been a definite commit ment on this by the British Government. India is relieved that the new scheme will come into force only from 1972 and the spokesman hoped that discussions would be resumed and would yield “adequate solutions to Indian problems."
Indian objections to the British decision are three-fold. First, the new levy is in conflict with the Indo-British agreement of 1938
The spokesman hoped that in view of the British decision to maintain the status quo up to 1972, India would forcefully be able to แ 1 persuade London to adopt more constructive policy."
Reuter adds from Hong Kong: Mr. Jack Cater, executive director of the Trade Development Council, said here to-day that Britain's move monwealth cotton textile imports on new import measures for Com-
had come as a surprise and a shock. He
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said in a radio interview; Clearly it is a serious situation. The proposals mean a fundamental change in our condition of trad- ing with our second market."
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