267. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to President Johnson1
Washington, December 9, 1964.
SUBJECT
- Wool Textiles
- 1.
- Pursuant to your instructions, I have reached an agreement with the Prime Minister on the way in which we will treat the wool textile matter.2 It is agreed that we will both say on demand that you have raised the question with him, that you proposed a meeting of the representatives of the two governments to discuss a possible conference with Italy and Japan, and that the Prime Minister has agreed to consider this proposal. (It is not likely that the British will accept this particular way of going about it, which gives them great difficulties. I think they will agree, in sum, to continuing discussions among experts on both sides.)
- 2.
- In return, the Prime Minister asks to be able to say that he raised with you the problems created for British shipping by some of our rules and regulations. I agreed to this on the condition that your own position should be fully protected.
- 3.
- I am telling Mike Feldman that this mission has been accomplished and that we can expect in due course to hear back from the British.3
McG. B.
4
- Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Subject File, Trade—General, vol. 2 [all], Box 47. No classification marking.↩
- Documentation on British Prime Minister Wilson’s meetings with President Johnson and other U.S. officials in Washington, December 7–9, is scheduled for publication in Foreign Relations, 1964–1968, volume XII.↩
- In a December 9 memorandum to Feldman, Bundy reported that in proposing to Wilson a U.S.-U.K. conference on wool textiles, “the President has carried out his undertaking to Senator Pastore.” Bundy believed that the British would not agree to “the particular kind of conference with the particular terms of reference” suggested by the President, but at least “what the President said to Senator Pastore he would do he has done.” (Johnson Library, National Security File, Subject File, Trade—General, vol. 2 [2 of 2], Box 47)↩
- Printed from a copy that bears these typed initials.↩