TNAG-0342-FCO40-378-Effects-on-Hong-Kong-of-long-term-policy-for-textiles-in-int-1972 — Page 45

PRIORITY

+

CYPHER/CAT A

FM UKDEL BRUSSELS 91425Z

RESTRICTED

FRAME

RESTRICTED

Copy To HK.

RCITY No. 51

Tomo√ 1972

96

18

13/11.

HKK

6/8

72

TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 1944 OF 9 NOVEMBER/INFO PRIORITY BONN BRUSSELS THE HAGUE COPENHAGEN DUBLIN LUXEMBOURG PARIS ROME UKMIS GENEVA.

MIPT AND MY TELNO 1534 OF 2 OCTOBER

LAST

(

95

NON-COTTON TEXTILES.

1. DURING THE AFTERNOON SESSION OF THE MEETING OF TEXTILE EXPERTS ON 8 NOVEMBER WHICH WAS SCHEDULED TO DISCUSS JUTE PROBLEMS, THE QUESTION OF THE COMMISSION'S PROPOSALS FOR A HARMONISED POLICY ON IMPORTS OF NON-COTTON TEXTILES WAS RAISED UNEXPECTEDLY BY THE FRENCH DELEGATION WHO SAID THAT SINCE NO SOLUTIONS

HAD BEEN FOUND TO THE PROBLEMS OF PRINCIPLE RAISED AT THE MEETING ON 2 CCTOBER, THEY COULD NOT AGREE TO RESPOND TO THE COMMISSION'S RECENT TELEX REQUESTING COMMENTS ON MATTERS OF DETAIL BY THE MEMBER STATES. SEVERAL DELEGATIONS COMMENTED ON THE COMMISSION'S

HANDLING OF THEIR PROPOSALS ON THE SAME LINES AS THE COMMENTS MADE AT THE PREVIOUS MEETING (PARA 3 CF MY TELNO 1534).

2. WE SAID THAT WE HAD NOT EXPECTED THESE PROBLEMS TO BE RAISED. HOWEVER WE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO EMPHASISE THAT WE UNDERSTOOD

THE COMMON TEXTILE POLICY TO MEAN A COMMUNITY POLICY FOR BOTH.

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL TRADE. THE GERMAN DELEGATION SAID THAT THERE WERE CERTAIN URGENT PROBLEMS TO BE DEALT WITH, EG IN REGARD TO IMPORTS FROM HONG KONG. ACTION SHOULD NOT BE DELAYED PENDING AGREEMENT ON THE COMMISSION'S OVERALL PROPOSALS. THEY SUGGESTED THAT THE COMMISSION SHOULD BE ASKED TO PUT FORWARD CONCRETE PROPOSALS FOR DEALING WITH THESE PROBLEMS WHICH COULD BE DISCUSSED BY MEMBER STATES IN THE NEAR FUTURE.THE DUTCH AND FRENCH DELEGATIONS BOTH SUPPORTED THE GERMAN PROPOSAL. THE ITALIAN DELEGATION SAID THAT THEY WOULD PREFER TO LEAVE THESE PROBLEMS TO BE TREATED IN PHASE 2 OF THE GATT STUDY. ITALY DID NOT ASSOCIATE ITSELF WITH THE GERMAN PROPOSAL. ERNST (COMMISSION) ARGUED THAT IF THE COMMISSION WERE TO RESPOND TO THE GERMAN PROPOSAL, MEMBER STATES MUST FIRST PROVIDE DETAILS OF THEIR SENSITIVE PRODUCTS AS ALREADY REQUESTED. AFTER SOME FURTHER DISCUSSION, ERNST SUMMED UP

RESTRICTED

/BY SAYING THAT

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