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FCO TEL NO.1337 TO NEW DELHI
CONSULTATIONS ON THE PREFERENCE SCHEME COULD ONLY USEFULLY BE
HELD ONCE THE OECD PROPOSALS WERE AVAILABLE TO ALL MEMBERS.
ALTHOUGH A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF INFORMATION IS NOW BEING TABLED IN
UNCTAD MOST OECD COUNTRIES ARE NOT YET IN A POSITION TO MAKE FINAL OFFERS. AS STATED ABOVE, WE OURSELVES EXPECT TO MAKE SUBSTANTIAL MODIFICATIONS TO CUR LISTS. IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES WE
CONSIDER THAT COMMONWEALTH CONSULTATIONS MIGHT USEFULLY BE DEFERRED
UNTIL WE ARE IN A POSITION TO SAY RATHER MORE ABOUT CUR INTENTIONS.
WE ARE IN TOUCH WITH THE COMMONWEALTH SECRETARIAT ON THIS. (IV) WE HAVE CIRCULATED TO THE OTHER PROSPECTIVE DONORS A LIST OF ALL OUR DEPENDENT TERRITORIES AND TERRITORIES FOR WHOSE EXTERNAL RELATIONS WE ARE RESPONSIBLE, FOR WHICH WE ARE CLAIMING DEVELOPING STATUS. WE HOPE THAT COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENTS WILL IF NECESSARY
USE THEIR INFLUENCE TO ENSURE THAT THESE TERRITORIES CAN SHARE IN
THE BENEFITS OF THE SCHEME.
(DELHI AND RAWALPINDI ONLY)
(V) THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA/PAKISTAN WILL NOTICE THAT WE HAVE MADE IT CLEAR IN OUR SUBMISSION THAT IN RESPECT OF CERTAIN PRODUCTS WE
SHALL NEED TO OBTAIN THEIR CONSENT TO WAIVE THEIR RIGHTS TO
CONTRACTUAL MARGINS OF PREFERENCE. WE SHALL BE GLAD TO DISCUSS
THESE ITEMS WITH THEM BUT AS MOST OF THE PRODUCTS CONCERNED ARE IN THE INDUSTRIAL SECTION OF OUR OFFER WE SUGGEST THAT CONSULTATIONS
SHOULD BE DEFERRED UNTIL WE HAVE DECIDED HOW THIS SHOULD BE
MODIFIED.
5. IF THERE IS ANY CONCERN ABOUT THE SHORTNESS OF THE NOTICE WE
ARE GIVING YOU SHOULD EXPLAIN THAT WE HAVE HAD TO WAIT FOR THE
OECD TRADE COMMITTEE TO MAKE A DECISION ON THE FORM OF THE SUBSTANTIVE DOCUMENTATION. IF ANY ENQUIRY IS MADE ABOUT RHODESIA IN RELATION TO POINT (IV) YOU SHOULD SAY THAT WE ARE NOT MAKING ANY CLAIM ON HER BEHALF AND DO NOT CONSIDER THAT SHE IS IN A
POSITION TO BE CONSIDERED FOR INCLUSION IN THE SCHEME.
6. IN GENERAL WE DO NOT WISH TO PROVOKE COMMENTS ON OUR PRESENT
OFFER BUT WE SHOULD BE INTERESTED IN ANY INDICATION OF HOW STRONGLY
COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENTS FEEL ON THIS ISSUE.
STEWART
INTERNATIONAL TRADE DISTRIBUTION
TRADE POLICY DEPT
U.N. DEPT
COPIES TO:
MR. J.G. MORRIS,
C.R.E. 1 DEPT,
BOARD OF TRADE,
MR. J. HOLROYD, M.A. F. F.
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