TNAG-0630-FCO40-778-Effect-of-GATT-Multi-Fibre-Arrangement-on-Hong-Kong-negotiat-1988 — Page 118

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Secretary of State for Industry

INDEX

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110.

Department of Industry

1 Victoria Street London SWIH OET

Telephone Direct line 01-215

PEGISTRY Action Taken

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5323

Switchboard 01-215 7877

September 1977

EID(E)

The Rt Hon Dr David Owen MP Secretary of State for Foreign &

Commonwealth Affairs

Downing Street

LONDON

SW1 A 2AL

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P.A teas

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for fps. The Hibbert

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7319

LAST

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Mi Calat Mr. Mus Chie

Dear Scentery of state,

MULTIFIBRE ARRANGEMENT

I have seen your note of 16 September about the Multifibre Arrangement and Hong Kong, and the Prime Minister's comments as set out in his Private Secretary's letter of 20 September.

I welcome your affirmation that ensuring the firm application of the Community's internal global import ceilings for textile and clothing products is of paramount importance and I am in particular grateful for the recognition that the demands that will inevitably be made on the Community by Hong Kong should not be met by the UK increasing our own ceilings to take extra imports from her.

I am, however, concerned at your recommendation that Sir Donald Maitland should speak to Commissioner Davignon about Hong Kong. This would not, in my view, be taken by the Commission as other than the UK pressing Hong Kong's case. It would I believe seriously undermine the very firm stance that we have so far taken on the whole matter of the Multifibre Arrangement and the conduct and content of the bilateral restraint agreements on which so much depends. All our experience shows that there can be no doubt that

/Hong Kong