TNAG-0301-FCO40-337-Effects-of-tariffs-on-imports-of-cotton-textiles-to-UK-from--1971 — Page 111

particularly in countries like India which fear for their

competitiveness when subject to import duties. It is, I

believe, most important to do all we can to launch the new

system next year in as favourable circumstances as possible.

It would be particularly unfortunate if, because of a temporary

and avoidable upsurge in imports, we came under pressure to

restore the quotas (as we have said we would on certain imports

if total imports of particular products rose significantly and

caused disruption to the market for those particular products);

it would be embarrassing to reject such a request from Lancashire

if the conditions of the safeguard assurance appeared to exist,

yet to give way would negate our object of fostering the

development of a cotton textile industry able to live with

tariff protection alone, besides damaging the trade interesta of

developing countries. Apart from these domestic considerations,

we owe it to importers and to the overseas suppliers to

achieve as orderly

can.

a changeover from quotas to tariffs as we

We face some difficult negotiations with some of them this

year, especially with India who must be persuaded to waive her

trade agreement right to duty-free entry, before we can intro-

duce the tariff. It would materially ease such negotiations

if we were able to offer the countries concerned this

· concession.

I am copying this letter to