TNAG-0244-FCO40-280-Exports-of-textiles-from-Hong-Kong-to-USA-1970 — Page 187

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

'OUR JUDGMENT IS THAT THE INTERESTS OF ALL CONCERNED WOULD BE BEST SERVED BY THE DEVELOPMENT OF A FLEXIBLE MULTILATERAL AGREEMENT AND, UNDER THE MULTILATERAL AGREEMENT, A SERIES OF COMPREHENSIVE BILATERAL AGREEMENTS....BUT OUR POSITION IS NOT FROZEN....

WE INVITE SUGGESTIONS- WE APPEAL FOR HELP....WE ARE WILLING TO START NEGOTIATIONS AT ANY TIME....WE ARE WILLING TO INCLUDE COTTON TEXTILES IN THESE NEGOTIATIONS AS WELL....'

7. I WONDER IF THE TIME HAS COME FOR SOME PLAIN SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO THE AMERICANS BY YOU AND THE E.E.C. AT A HIGH LEVEL TO TRY TO CONVINCE THEM THAT THEY WILL NOT GET WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN SEEKING FOR A YEAR NOW. IT IS TIME THEY AIMED A BIT LOWER. IF THERE REALLY IS A PROBLEM (BUT THEY HAVE NOT SHOWN US ANY EVIDENCE THAT SUPPORTS THIS YET) THEN THEY MUST DEAL WITH IT IN A RESPONSIBLE MANNER, WITHIN THE GATT FRAMEWORK. THEY HAVE MAINTAINED THAT

A MULTILATERAL MEETING WOULD INVOLVE UNACCEPTABLE DELAY: IT COULD HARDLY HAVE CAUSED MORE THAN THEY HAVE HAD ALREADY. WE ARE ALL WELL AWARE THAT THE THREAT OF CONGRESSIONAL ACTION IS JUST AS MUCH A THREAT TO THE ADMINISTRATION'S POLICY AS IT IS TO US, AND IF THEY WANT TO AVOID IT, THEY MUST THINK AGAIN, 1 DO NOT SUGGEST THAT WE SHOULD PROPOSE ANY SOLUTION BUT ONLY PRESS THE AMERICANS TO MODIFY THEIR STAND.

8. I REMAIN CONVINCED THAT IF SOME CONCESSION HAS EVENTUALLY TO BE MADE TO A MODIFIED U.S. POSITION, AN EXTENSION OF THE COVERAGE OF THE CTA (BY E.G. MODIFICATION OF ARTICLES 6 OR 9) WOULD BE PREFERABLE TO A SEPARATE CTA-TYPE ARRANGEMENT, OR TO THE ESTABLISH- MENT OF PRECEDENTS THAT MIGHT ENCOURAGE INCREASING USE OF ARTICLE

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