TNAG-0630-FCO40-778-Effect-of-GATT-Multi-Fibre-Arrangement-on-Hong-Kong-negotiat-1988 — Page 16

CONFIDENTIAL

HKK 121

1330

ام فامها

PA

230

DESKBY 110830Z

TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELEGRAM NUMBER 5963 OF 10 OCTOBER

INFO BONN, PARIS

MY TWO IPT'S

TEXTILES

Re

FOLLOWING FROM GOLDSMITH

228

229

1. YOU WILL WISH TO CONSIDER WHERE WE GO FROM HERE, AS WE SEE IT

THE POSITION NOW IS AS FOLLOWS:

(1) THERE SEEMS NO PROSPECT OF ANY MORE ON THE PART OF THE COMM-

ISSION OR THE OTHER MEMBER STATES TO MEET OUR DEMAND FOR ZERO GROWTH

ON COTTON YARN. OUR APPEAL TODAY FELL ON DEAF EARS. ON THE CONTRARY

THE GERMANS AND OTHERS HAVE STRESSED THE FRAGILITY OF THE PRESENT

COMPROMISE MANDATE: FOR THIS REASON THE BELGIAN PRESIDENCY THIS

AFTERNOON EMPHASISED THAT FURTHER PIECEMEAL AMENDMENT WAS LIKELY TO

RESULT IN THE COLLAPSE OF THIS DELICATE EDIFICE.

(11) ON THE FIGURES, ALL OTHER MEMBER STATES ARE CONTENT TO PROC- EED ON THE BASIS FUT FORWARD BY THE COMMISSION, NAMELY THAT THE

ARTICLE 113 COMMITTEE WILL MONITOR THE BILATERAL ENGOTIATIONS CLOS-

ELY AND WILL THUS HAVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO VET INDIVIDUAL FIGURES

BEFORE THEY ARE OFFERED TO THE NEGOTIATING PARTNER.

(1) 13 THIRD COUNTRIES ARE ALREADY IN BRUSSELS FOR NEGOTIATIONS

SCHEDULED TO OPEN TOMORROW: AND MORE WILL ARIVE IN. THE DAYS AHEAD.

THE COMMISSION CAN KEEP THE POT BOILING THROUGHOUT TUESDAY WITH

OPENING STATEMENTS AND GENERALITIES BUT WILL NEED TO BEGIN ENTER-

.ING ON SUBSTANCE ON WEDNESDAY. IF NO MANDATE CAN BE ADOPTED BEFORE

WEDNESDAY, THE CHANCES ARE THAT THE UK WILL BE BLAMED FOR ALL

SUBSEQUENT DELAYS - WHETHER OR NOT THEY WOULD HAVE OCCURRED ANYWAY.

CONFIDENTIAL

12. IN

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