TNAG-0386-FCO40-432-Exports-of-non-cotton-textiles-from-Hong-Kong-to-the-EEC-1973 — Page 36

13 or the timing of 33C/Hong Kong talks about

1974, we realise that the autumn is late from

a tran point of view, and we would like to see

a picture of the likely quota situation beginning

to emerge during the summer. We can see no reason

however why work on the main lines of this picture

should not proceed in parallel with the multilateral

development of a new Agreement provided we ensure

that you are not forced in the process to sign away

anything that might later turn out to be, its your

right under a new Agreement. In any case, the

amounts and destination of your textile exports to

urope in 1974 are to a large extent predictable from

the present pattern of trade and restraints;

we do

not think that talks later in the year will necessarily

versely affect trade.

4.

Our view remains unchanged, that the extension from

Germany to the Netherlands of some form of multilateral

restraint would have been useful.

But

Yo: mist,0 ¿

be the best judge of what couro to take in the

light of your own domestic difficulties.

5. Your telegram 429 dealt with the Geman

Course,

"additional" quotas. The situation is certainly absurd, in

that this is a purely German problon, yet the

solution is a Community compromise. It was made perfectly

г

clear by the Germans, not only on 16 April but also on 2 April when the

subject was first raised in the Comittee and Robin jope confidently gafe

UK consent to their request, that no increase in the

number of pieces was in question. Even the French

understood this. Liz Lowne and Robin Hope were amazed

and appalled at the docile way in which the

German delegates accepted thefatuous compromise

figure of 1250 tonnes.

thefatuous

featu

16

COMPIDENTTAG

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN