TNAG-0244-FCO40-280-Exports-of-textiles-from-Hong-Kong-to-USA-1970 — Page 134

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Appen. 3

that you have no instructions for consultations on non-cotton

textiles.

Desired Improvements to C.T.A.

6.

Hong Kong's views on improvements that should be

made in respect of the C.T.A. were put to the C.T.C. at the

plenary session on 17th December and circulated in COT/W/122

(Appendix 3). You should seek to obtain firm commitments from

the U.S. authorities on the extent to which they are prepared

to accept the proposals in this paper. You should also seek

to have an agreed record of the conclusions reached in these

consultations. Although in theory your task is merely to refer

to the C.T.C. documents and listen to what the Americans have to

offer, you may well have to press them for precise clarification.

7.

In this connection you should bear in mind that, if

and when we come to the full-scale re-negotiation of the current

bilateral agreement, we shall wish to re-examine the factual basis

for comprehensive restraint and for the existing specific limits

(including the limits at present imposed on gloves, workshirts and

continue culottes, if the Americans wish exports of these items to .

to be subject to specific restraint). Since the Americans have by

acceding to the C.T.C. document referred to in paragraph 1, said

that they will endeavour to offer more flexible conditions,

should in any case expect the number of specific limits to be

reduced by the merging of some existing limits or dropping more

categories into the baskets. We should also expect sub-limits on

combed categories and the limit on corduroy apparel to be removed

unless a sound case can still be made for their retention.

as concentration provisions (Rice/Holmes Side Letter) are conc; rned,

we should like:

we

So far

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