TNAG-0244-FCO40-280-Exports-of-textiles-from-Hong-Kong-to-USA-1970 — Page 169

CONFIDENTIAL

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3. HIRAHA SAID THAT IT WAS NO GOOD THE JAPANESE GOING ON DEMANDING

FURTHER STATISTICS PROVING INJURY. THIS WOULD GET THEM NOWHERE. THE

AMERICAN STATISTICS DID NOT PROVE INJURY ALTHOUGH THEY DID INDICATE

A POSSIBLE THREAT IN CERTAIN ITEMS. IF THE JAPANESE WERE TO OFFER

SOME FORM OF RESTRAINT ON THESE LATTER ITEMS NO DOUBT THE AMERICANS

WOULD THEN BRING FORWARD FURTHER PROOF OF THREAT OF INJURY.

4. HIRAHA STRESSED THAT THE TEXTILE ISSUE WAS ESSENTIALLY A BILATERAL

U.S./JAPANESE QUESTION AT THIS STAGE. THEY WERE CERTAIN THAT THE

U.S. WOULD NOT AGREE TO ANY MULTILATERAL MEETING UNTIL THEY WERE

SURE OF JAPAN'S POSITION. OF COURSE OTHER COUNTRIES, KOREA, TAIWAN

AND HONG KONG, WOULD HAVE TO BE BROUGHT IN AT A LATER STAGE.

F C O PASS ALL INFORMATION ADDRESSEES

SIR J. PILCHER

[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]

INTERNATIONAL TRADE DISTRIBUTION

FAR EASTERN DEPT

ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION

HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL TRADE

AMERICAN DEPT

HONG KONG DEPT

COMMODITIES DEPT

CONFIDENTIAL

COPY TO

MR. R.GOLDSMITH, B.O.T.

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