TNAG-0763-FCO40-967-Effect-of-GATT-Multi-Fibre-Arrangement-(MFA)-on-Hong-Kong-ex-1978 — Page 35

CODONETMENT OF TRADE

1 VICTORIA STREET LONDON SWIH OET

Telephone 01-215 707%

ник 121/1

REGAIVED IN A

INDEX

2 2 DEC 1978.

No

on Ta

M

From the Secretary of State

PJ Condellis Esq & A C Boxer Esq

Joint Presidents

British Hellenic Chamber of

Commerce

4 Valaoritou Street

Athens (134)

Greece

MXE 131/358/1

RECEIVED

1 2 DEC 1978

38K OFFICER

INDEX

PA

Ned "lin

Dear her Condelles and boxer,

89 13.5

C.C. PS/Puss (7)

PS/ Secracing Mr Abramser. Miss Lackey Mr Helling: (cn file)

1. Mr 1. Mr Moss

1111

орні

qxuago 4/12

29 November 1978

Copies to SED Chancery Athen.

(Ankara, Lisbon, Vuletta, Nicoria

Mached, for geval background)

HKGD $5.

надчут

I am sorry that you have had to wait so long for a reply to your letter of 19 September to Edmund Dell about the quotas imposed on exports of certain textile products from Greece to the UK. Before responding to the points you raised, we wanted to see what happened in the discussions now concluded, which the EEC Commission has been having with other. Mediterranean suppliers on the arrangements for 1978. I have now also seen your letter of 15 November, which reached me yesterday, and would like to thank you for your kind congratulations on my appointment.

Perhaps I could start by explaining the background to the UK's request earlier in the year for a formal restraint on imports of T-Shirts and. blouses from Greece. During the renegotiations of the Multifibre Ar¬ rangement last Autumn the Commission held meetings with representatives

of the Greek textile industry. Member states were not present at these discussions. Subsequently the Commission reported to the Council of Ministers on 20 December that assurances had been received from the Greek industry about levels of exports of certain products to mezber states in 1973. The undertaking on the part of the Greek industry was, of course, purely voluntary.

This arrangement needs to be viewed in the context of the Community's textile policy as a whole. As you will know the very serious decline in the textile and clothing industry within the Community in recent years led Member States to adopt a very tough madate for the renegotiation of the Kulti-Fiore Arrangement (IFA) last Autumn. One of the most Serious problems facing the Community's industries was that of cumulative