Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume IX, International Development and Economic Defense Policy; Commodities

336. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rusk to President Johnson¹

Washington, November 21, 1966.

SUBJECT

• Negotiation of Extension of International Multilateral Executive Agreement on which U.S. Cotton Textile Import Program Based

Conclusion

We are planning to begin negotiations on November 28 to extend the international cotton textile multilateral agreement on which the U.S. primarily bases its program for protecting our industry from disruptive imports of cotton textiles. These plans are based on the assumption that prior Presidential directives indicating the appropriateness of cotton textile negotiations continue to apply.

Discussion

The current trade restrictions protecting U.S. industry from disruptive imports of cotton textiles are based on the Long Term Arrangements Regarding International Trade in Cotton Textiles done at Geneva in 1962 (LTA) and on a series of bilateral agreements negotiated under the LTA. The LTA will expire September 30, 1967 and we plan to begin negotiations on November 28 for its extension, probably for a 3-year period.

The domestic authority for this executive agreement authorizes the negotiation of such agreements whenever the President determines such action is appropriate. The present United States program regarding trade in cotton textiles pursuant to international cotton textile agreements was initiated by President Kennedy in 1961. We are assuming that the Presidential approval of this program continues, as evidenced by Executive Order 11052² issued by President Kennedy and by your Executive Order 11214.³ Nevertheless, we believe it desirable to inform you that we have made this assumption and are planning to begin the negotiations.

Dean Rusk

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, INCO–COTTON 4 GATT. No classification marking. Drafted by J. David Stoner (L/E). Attached to the source text are two memoranda. The first is a November 16 memorandum from Stoner to the Executive Secretariat requesting that Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Eugene Rostow approve a memorandum granting Circular 175 authority for the negotiation and signature of an agreement extending the LTA before forwarding to the Secretary his memorandum to President Johnson. (The Circular 175 memorandum has not been found.) The second, from Solomon through Rostow to Secretary Rusk, November 18, notes among other things that Rostow had granted this Circular 175 authority in part on the assumption that prior Presidential determinations authorizing such negotiations continued to apply.
2. See footnote 3, Document 323.
3. E.O. 11214, April 7, 1965, amended Executive Order 11052 by adding a member from the Office of the Special Representative for Trade Negotiations to the President’s Cabinet Textile Advisory Committee, to its subcommittee, and to delegations negotiating textile agreements. (Federal Register, vol. 30, p. 4527)