TNAG-0300-FCO40-336-Entitlement-of-Hong-Kong-to-generalized-tariffs-preferences--1971 — Page 82

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TO IMMEDIATE CODEL BRUSSELS TELEGRAM NUMBER 130 OF 27 OCTOBER.

YOUR TELEGRAM CODEL 814.

130

GENERALISED PREFERENCE SCHEME AND COTTON TEXTILES.

MINISTERS HAVE NOW APPROVED THE BROAD LINES OF THE APPROACH

SUGGESTED.

PLEASE THEREFORE GIVE IN CONFIDENCE TO THE PRESIDENCY AND THE COMMISSION THE DRAFT STATEMENT IN MIFT AND SUGGEST THAT WE MIGHT MAKE

A STATEMENT ON THESE LINES IN DEPUTIES ON 3 NOVEMBER IF WE CAN BE ASSURED IN ADVANCE BY THE PRESIDENCY THAT THE COMMUNITY WOULD SIMPLY

NOTE OUR STATEMENT AND AGREE THE DATE WE PROPOSED FOR ADAPTATION OF

1 JANUARY 1974.

2. FOR YOUR OWN INFORMATION YOU WILL BE AWARE FROM DENMAN'S DISCUSSION WITH WELLENSTEIN ON 5 OCTOBER (CODEL NO 813) THAT THE BACKGROUND TO THIS IS CUR DESIRE TO AVOID ANY PUBLIC DEBATE IN THE

CONFERENCE ON THE FUTURE INTRODUCTION OF QUANTITATIVE RESTRAINTS ON

OUR IMPORTS OF COTTON TEXTILES.

ACCORDINGLY YOU SHOULD NOT RAISE AGAIN WITHTHE COMMUNITY THE

CUESTION OF THE APPLICABILITY TO US AFTER ENTRY OF THEIR ARTICLE 4

AGREEMENTS. IF ASKED YOU SHOULD SIMPLY SAY THAT SINCE WE WERE NOT

ASKING FOR A DEROGATION THE AGREEMENTS WOULD APPLY SUBJECT TO

RENEGOTIATION OF THE QUANTITIES INVOLVED BUT THAT IT WAS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT POLITICALLY TO AVOID ANY PUBLIC REFERENCE TO THIS UNTIL WE HAD HAD A CHANCE TO CONSIDER FURTHER THE PRESENTATIONAL ISSUES

INVOLVED.

MIFT.

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