TNAG-0173-FCO40-209-United-Kingdom-Productivity-and-Efficiency-Study-effect-on-H-1969 — Page 97

-6-

13. THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA REGRET THE COURSE OF

ACTION PROPOSED TO BE FOLLOWED BY THE U.K. GOVERNMENT

IN THIS MATTER, WHICH GOES AGAINST THE COMMITMENTS

ER ALDAY

MADE BY THEM TO INDIA BILATERALLY AS WELL AS MULTILATERALLY.

I AM, THEREFORE, INSTRUCTING OUR HIGH COMMISSIONER IN

LONDON TO BRING TO THE NOTICE OF THE U.K. GOVERNMENT OUR

SERIOUS CONCERN IN THE MATTER. THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD

OF TRADE HAS HIMSELF SAID IN HIS STATEMENT THAT HE

WOULD BE INITIATING NECESSARY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE

COVERNMENTS CONCERNED. IT IS MY EARNEST HOPE THAT

THESE DISCUSSIONS WILL MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR THE TWO

GOVERNMENTS TO ARRIVE AT A MUTUALLY ACCEPTABLE SOLUTION

OF THE DIFFICULTIES OF THE TEXTILE INDUSTRIES OF THE

UNITED KINGDOM AND INDIA, IN CONSONANCE WITH THE

ACCEPTED BASIS OF ECONOMIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE

TWO COUNTRIES AND ALSO THE EVOLVING INTERNATIONAL

POLICY IN RELATION TO THE TRADE OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.''

ENDS

SIR M. JAMES

INTERNATIONAL TRADE DISTRIBUTION

COMMODITIES DEPT

---