CONFIDENTIAL

(c) Safeguards and Consultations:

a scheme closely analogous to

that of rticle XIX of the GATT;

Timetable after March 1st

19. At the Chairman's invitation Reed (Norway), the Chairman of

Group B in the UNCTAD Special Committee, outlined the position reached

in Geneva and the future timetable envisaged in UNCTAD. The second meeting of the Committee on 28 april would only last a week and would do

little more than settle procedural issues. The third session starting

on 30 June would be more substantial. He pointed out that what the

This led

LDCs were afraid of more than anything was a fait accompli.

on to a discussion of how the OECD work could fit into this timetable.

It was agreed that there should be a substantive meeting of the Group about three weeks after the tabling of lists to begin, say, on 20 or

21 March. This would need to deal with clarification of the lists, to

assist which the Secretariat might do preliminary work on comparative

tables, etc. An attempt by Goldsmith, from the Chair, to draw an

analogy with the Kennedy Round on the lines of countries confronting

and adjusting their lists to take account of burden-sharing did not evince much response.

Di Martino (LEC) said that it was not necessary to go too far along these lines at this stage (the implication perhaps being that the Community would do what they would do and would not care what other countries did or be ready to adjust to their positions).

It was also agreed that the dates of any subsequent meetings should be left for decision at the March meeting but Goldsmith pointed out that that meeting would probably need to last longer then the two or three days usually allocated for meetings of the Group.

Chairmanship

20.

At the end of the meeting Goldsmith was asked whether rumours that he would be vacating the Chair were true. He confirmed that, in view of

his new and wider responsibilities, this was the case. Much disappoint-

ment was expressed, but there was no question of electing a new

CONFIDENTIAL

/Chairman

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