CONFIDENTIAL
CYPHER/CAT A
FM UKMIS GENEVA 191445Z
YN 51
21 JUN 1972
CONFIDENTIAL
NEUTRAL
LAST
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ACF.
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TO ROUTINE FCO TEL NO 269 OF 19 JUNE 1972 INFO HONG KONG, WASHINGTON, UKDEL EEC AND TOKYO.
STUDY.
MY TELEGRAM NO 248: GATT TEXTILE STUDY.
1.
LONG'S INFORMAL MEETING WAS HELD THIS MORNING. PRECEDING
DISCUSSIONS HAD IRONED OUT DIFFICULTIES BETWEEN THE JAPANESE
AND THE UNITED STATES AND THE FORMER ANNOUNCED THAT THEIR
PRESENTATIONAL DIFFICULTIES WOULD BE MET IF THE OPERATIVE PART OF THE TERMS OF REFERENCE IN CV/202 SPOKE OF QUOTE A STUDY OF FACT
UNQUOTE INSTEAD OF QUOTE A FACTUAL STUDY UNQUOTE. THE JAPANESE
AND AMERICANS WERE ALSO IN AGREEMENT ON MINOR AMENDMENTS TO THE
SECOND OPERATIVE CLAUSE TO MAKE IT READ QUOTE THE WORKING PARTY
SHALL PRESENT ITS REPORT FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE COUNCIL BY
THE END OF 1972 UNQUOTE.
6.
3.
A CONSENSUS RAPIDLY EMERGED FAVOURING THESE CHANGES.
INDIA, SUPPORTED BY GREECE, EGYPT, PAKISTAN, BRAZIL, SPAIN, TURKEY AND ARGENTINA, PRESSED FOR A PREAMBULAR PARAGRAPH (EITHER
ADDITIONAL TO CR TO BE COMBINED WITH THE SECOND EXISTING PREAMBULAR
PARAGRAPH) WHICH WOULD SINGLE CUT THE PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE OF
TRADE IN COTTON PRODUCTS FOR THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AND FOR PROVIDING THEM WITH LARGER
OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCREASING THEIR EXCHANGE EARNINGS FROM SUCH
TRADE. THIS WAS DEPRECATED BY NEARLY ALL DEVELOPED COUNTRIES AS
PREJUDICING THE PURELY FACTUAL NATURE OF THE STUDY AND BECAUSE IT
WAS UNREALISTIC IN CURRENT CONDITIONS IN TRADE IN TEXTILES TO
TRY TO PRESERVE CLEAR DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN FIBRES. PEARSON (UK, FOR H NG KONG), POINTED OUT THAT FOR SUME DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
AND TERRITORIES IT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE TO PLACE TOO MUCH
STRESS ON COTTONS AS AGAINST OTHER FIBRES.
/4.
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