TNAG-0631-FCO40-779-Effect-of-GATT-Multi-Fibre-Arrangement-on-Hong-Kong-negotiat-1977 — Page 168

GR 475A

IMMEDIATE

CONFIDENTIAL

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TO IMMEDIATE UKREP BRUSSELS TELNO 1972 OF 21 OCTOBER 1977.

TEXTILES.

MIPT.

1. FOLLOWING IS DRAFT TEXT.

BEGINS:

J.

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1. I AM WRITING TO SAY HOW GRATEFUL I AM TO YOU AND COMMISSIONER DAVIGNON FOR THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE COMMISSION SHOWED AT THE COUNCIL ON 18 OCTOBER OF OUR PREOCCUPATIONS.

2. I SHOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT I AM AWARE THAT, BEFORE THE COUNCIL, THE STAFF OF THE COMMISSION SERVICES HAD BEEN READY TO WORK WITH BRITISH OFFICIALS OVER THE WHOLE WEEKEND AND THAT, KNOWING THE LARGE PRESSURES ON YOUR STAFF, WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL

FOR THIS.

3. I KNOW THAT THE FULL TEXT OF THE STATEMENT I MADE AT THE COUNCIL WAS PROVIDED TO YOU BEFORE YOU MADE YOUR POSITIVE RESPONSE BUT, IF I MAY, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE MY POSITION ENTIRELY CLEAR.

4. MY STATEMENT WAS, ESSENTIALLY, IN TWO PARTS, FIRST, THE REFERENCE IN IT TO ASSESSING THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE DRAFT DIRECTIVE ON THE UNITED KINGDOM WAS NECESSARILY BRIEF. BUT BEHIND THIS BREVITY LAY A NUMBER OF ASSURANCES THAT MY OWN STAFF HAD GIVEN ME ON SOME VERY IMPORTANT POINTS. THESE ARE THAT WE HAD RECEIVED PRECISE CLARIFICATION ON THE BASE LEVELS THAT WERE IN MIND AND ON THE COMMUNITY GROWTH RATES INVOLVED. THESE COMMUNITY GROWTH RATES WERE DESCRIBED TO ME AS FIRM INDICATIVE MAXIMA WHICH THE COMMISSION

CONFIDENTIAL

/PROPOSE, DESIRE