TEXTILE CURBS Deadline set by Nixon

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32737, 14 October 1971, Page 13

TEXTILE CURBS Deadline set by Nixon

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright) WASHINGTON, October 13. President Nixon yesterday threatened to take steps against Japan and Other countries if they failed to show this week that they were ready to sign agreements curbing textile exports to the United States.

Mr Nixon, using his toughest language so far in the long wrangle over textiles, publicly confirmed that the United States had set an October 15 deadline for breaking the deadlock in the negotiations. Mr Nixon told a press conference that very intensive talks were going on with the Japanese, and the United States continued to hope for a mutually agreed solution. But he said that if by October 15—next Friday—there had not been an agreement or progress towards an agreement, then the United States would move unilaterally. Mr Nixon did not elaborate.

However, the Associated Press reported that officials in Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong had said that the United States had threatened to impose quotas on noncotton textile imports. In Tokyo, the Japanese

Cabinet announced that it had decided to reopen negotiations on textiles with the United States. But a compromise was being sought whereby the United States would lift the 10 per cent surcharge on imports if Japan agreed to restrict its non-cotton textiles over a three year period. N.Z.P.A.Reuter said that the decision brought the Government once again into headon collision with the powerful textile industry, which threatened legal action and a campaign to topple the Government of the Prime Minister (Mr Eisaku Satp) if it negotiated a pact to curb textile exports.

The Associated Press said that South Korea, meanwhile, had offered a compromise proposal to the United States on textile restraints and Hong Kong had a delegation discussing the same matter. Taiwan is reported ready to talk.