CYPHER/CAT A
PRIORITY CANBERRA
TO
TELEGRAM NO. 263
RESTRICTED
NEUTRAL
RESTRICTED
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
17 MARCH 1969
50
YOUR TELEGRAM NO 157 : UNCTAD TARIFF PREFERENCES.
R.
RAK (GO)
DETAILED AUSTRALIAN COMMENTS RECEIVED TODAY WILL BE FORWA
CONFIDENTIAL BAG 18 HARCH.
POINTS
2. THE MAIN POINTS ARE :-
RECERED M ARCHIVES No.31
18 MAR 1583
HKK 6/12
(A) AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT REQUEST DETAILED CONSULTATIONS ~ CONCERN
ING BOTH THE PRINCIPLES UPON WHICH THESE OFFERS HAVE BEEN BASED AND
THE IMPLICATIONS FOR U.K./AUSTRALIAN TRADE RELATIONS BEFORE THE
NEXT MAJOR MEETING IN O.E.C.D. THEY HOPE THAT IT MAY STILL BE POSS-
IBLE FOR OUR PROPOSALS TO BE MODIFIED TO MEET AUSTRALIAN POINTS
WITHOUT COMPLICATING THE DISSEMINATION AND CONSIDERATION OF OFFERS.
(B) ON THE BASIS OF THE DEFINITION IN AD ARTICLE XVI OF GATT MANY
ITEMS OFFERED AS PROCESSED OR SENI-PROCESSE PRIMARY PRODUCTS SHOULD
BE REGARDED AS BASICALLY UNPROCESSED AND DELETED. A LIST OF THESE
IS SUBMITTED. ON MOST OF THEM AUSTRALIA HAS CONTRACTUAL RIGHTS
UNDER THE BI-LATERAL TRADE AGREEMENT AND THEY ADVISE THAT THEY WOULD
HAVE TO RETAIN THESE CONTRACTURAL RIGHTS.
(6) A FURTHER GROUP OF ITEMS OF SUBSTANTIAL EXPORT INTEREST TO AUSTR~
ALIA 13 ~~ SO CLOSELY RELATED AS REGARDS CONDITIONS OF PRODUCTION OR
UTILISATION AS TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE SAME LIGHT AS UNPROCESSED
PRIMARY PRODUCTS~~. THESE ARE ALL PREPARED MEAT PRODUCTS. DELET-
ION FROM OUR OFFER LIST IS URGED AND CONTRACTUAL RIGHTS MAINTAINED.
(D) A THIRD LIST COVERS ITEMS FOR WHICH THE U.K. 13 A SUBSTANTIAL
OVERSEAS OUTLET FOR AUSTRALIA. EXCLUSION IS REQUESTED IN ORDER TO
SAFEGUARD AUSTRALIANS POSITION AND WHERE CONTRACTUAL MARGINS OF
PREFERENCE ARE INVOLVED THESE ARE RESERVED ~ IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY
EXPLICIT SAFEGUARD PROVISIONS WHICH WE WOULD REGARD AS SATISFACTORY~T
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