TNAG-0244-FCO40-280-Exports-of-textiles-from-Hong-Kong-to-USA-1970 — Page 168

CONFIDENTIAL

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CYPHER/CAT A

PRIORITY TOKYO ΤΟ FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

25 FEBRUARY 1970

TELNO. 136

CONFIDENTIAL

[NEUTRAL]

ADDRESSED TO F C O TELEGRAM NO. 136 OF 25 FEBRUARY

1970 REPEATED FOR

INFORMATION TO WASHINGTON, GENEVA, HONG KONG, SEOUL AND TAMSUI.

M.I.P.T.

TEXTILES.

DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE ECONOMIC AFFAIRS BUREAU IN THE

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, HIRAHA, TOLD COMMERCIAL COUNSELLOR ON

25 FEBRUARY THAT THE JAPANESE NEWSPAPER REPORTS WERE SOMEWHAT

EXAGGERATED BUT REFLECTED FAIRLY ACCURATELY WHAT THE JAPANESE

AMBASSADOR HAD SAID. ALTHOUGH HE WOULD NOT SAY THAT THE JAPANESE

AMBASSADOR HAD BEEN FORMALLY AUTHORISED TO SOUND OUT THE AMERICANS

ON THIS PROPOSAL, HE SAID THAT IT REFLECTED THINKING WITHIN THE

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. THE MINISTRY OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE

AND INDUSTRY, AND STILL MORE JAPANESE INDUSTRY, HAD YET TO ACCEPT

THESE IDEAS AS A BASIS FOR A SETTLEMENT. HIRAHA SAID THAT THE

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS WOULD BE WORKING ON MITI IN THE NEXT FEW

DAYS WITH THE VIEW TO GETTING THEM TO ACCEPT THIS APPROACH AS THE

ONLY WAY IN WHICH THIS PROBLEM COULD BE SOLVED.

2. COMMERCIAL COUNSELLOR REFERRED TO A STATEMENT BY THE JAPANESE

PRIME MINISTER THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE A SETTLEMENT REACHED BEFORE

THE OPENING OF EXPO ON 15 MARCH. HIRAHA SAID THAT THIS WOULD BE VERY

DIFFICULT ALTHOUGH HE HOPED THAT IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE AT LEAST TO

SEE THE OUTLINE OFA SETTLEMENT BY THEN. HE IMPLIED THAT THE

PRIME MINISTER WHILE NOT NECESSARILY ENDORSING EVERY DETAIL OF THE

JAPANESE AMBASSADOR'S IDEAS BELIEVED THAT A (SETTLEMENT ON THESE

LINES WOULD HAVE TO BE REACHED.

REGISTRY N.51

201 ว่า

HKG/2004/1

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/3.HIRAHA