TNAG-0244-FCO40-280-Exports-of-textiles-from-Hong-Kong-to-USA-1970 — Page 30

CYPHER/CAT.A.

PRIORITY WASHINGTON

CONFIDENTIAL - GUARD

TELEGRAM NUMBER 799

TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

DATED 16 MARCH 1970

So

CONFIDENTIAL

GUARD

PERSONAL FOR BOTTOMLEY, HUGHES (BOARD OF TRADE) AND CAREY (MINTECH).

YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 614: TEXTILES.

RIDLEY SAW TREZISE THIS AFTERNOON, HE SHOWED HIM IN CONFIDENCE THE PRIME MINISTER'S LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT (WHICH TREZISE WAS UNAWARE OF), EMPHASISING THAT IT AIMED TO APPEAL TO THE PRESIDENT PERSONALLY FOR A SOLUTION TO THE TEXTILE PROBLEM WHICH TOOK INTO

ACCOUNT BROADER CONSIDERATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE. TREZISE SAID

HE FOUND IT HARD TO GUESS THE PRESIDENT'S REACTION. HE THOUGHT HE

WANTED TO DELIVER AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE OF HIS PRE-ELECTION COMMITMENT AND HE HAD NOT FORGOTTEN THAT PRESIDENT KENNEDY OUTBID HIM IN PROM-

ISES TO THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY IN 1960.

2. RIDLEY SPOKE ON THE LINES OF YOUR TELEGRAM. HE DID NOT LABOUR

THE REJECTION OF THE CONCEPT OF AN OVERALL CEILING ON TEXTILE IMPORTS, BUT MADE IT CLEAR THAT ANY DISCUSSION WITH HIM MUST BE WITHIN THE LIMITS OF INJURY-LINKED MEASURES. HE ALSO

EMPHASISED THAT WE WOULD BE DISCUSSING AN ARRANGEMENT INVOLVING THE

MAIN EXPORTING COUNTRIES GENERALLY, AND THAT ANY DISCUSSION OF AN

ARRANGEMENT RELATING SPECIFICALLY TO HONG KONG COULD ONLY TAKE

PLACE WITH HONG KONG PARTICIPATION. TREZISE SEEMED TO ACCEPT ALL

THIS THOUGH HE COMMENTED RATHER WRYLY THAT THE PRIME MINISTER'S

LETTER MIGHT HAVE BEEN WRITTEN IN TOKYO.

3. HE THEN DESCRIBED THE SITUATION IN WASHINGTON AS REPORTED IN MY

TELEGRAM NO. 793. HE REMAINED VERY INTERESTED IN THE POSSIBILITY

OF A DISCUSSION IN LONDON, THOUGH HE ADMITTED THAT IN PROPOSING IT HE WAS CLUTCHING AT A STRAW. HOWEVER, HE WOULD LIKE TO AWAIT THE

/FURTHER

CONFIDENTIAL

GUARD

LAST

REF.

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