RESTRICTED
from amiable character) and the Brazilians on the other side did their best to keep up the extremist line. But the refusal of Group B as a whole to deviate in substance from the line agreed in Paris eventually carried the day.
8. A copy of the decision finally agreed is in the Annex. It:
9.
(i) authorises the Secretary General to convene a working
group on the technical aspects of rules of origin "at an early date";
(11) lists on a tentative basis subjects on which detailed
intensive consultations would be necessary "in the Committee or in working groups";
(iii) invites the Secretary General to consult informally with the Bureau and with representatives of member governments prior to the Third Session, both on procedural and substantive issues (in the latter case, only so far as the necessary documentation is available); and
(iv) recognises that consultations and "such working
groups as had been established" might have to continue work after the end of the Third Session.
One notable omission from this list is any reference to "beneficiary countries". At one point there was considerable support in Group B for including this topic in the list. But, after I had made strong representations that this was above all a question that was best settled within OECD, Kemmis made great efforts and managed to get it omitted.
Group D. Contribution
10.
Group D (so called Socialist countries of astern Europe) kept quiet during the general debate and were obviously hoping to be forgotten. They were, however, smoked out by the Latin Americans and let it be known that, in their view, their contribution should be in the context of Resolution 15(II) (the New Delhi Resolution on "ast/South trade) and not Resolution 21(II) on preferences. They stuck to this view and, as most developing countries are pretty pusillanimous in their attitude to Communist countries, more or less managed to get away with it.
But Group B insisted that this view should be clearly recorded as that of Group D alone and that was how it was left.
rab/Israel and other Alarums
Because
11.
The Arab/Israel quarrel also raised its ugly head. they do not belong to any recognised "Group" the Israelis claimed the right to attend the Contact Group. This was, quite properly, conceded by Swaminathan but the work was then dis- rupted by a walk out on the part of the Arabs and the Communists. In order to get the proceedings started again Swaminathan had to concede defeat, rule that the meeting was an informal one called at his invitation, and consequently ask the Israelis to withdraw. This they did, confining themselves to a protest in the lenary. When the Credentials Committee report came up there was also the usual stuff about Taiwan ("Republic of
/China")
RESTRICTED