CON AIN VAL
on
Global Negotiations. The proposed text, in our view, prejudiced · that principle. Informal consultations on the agenda and procedures
continued within the UN during the latter part of 1980 and in the
first months of 1981. With our Community partners, we remain committed to work for the launching of the Global Negotiations
a generally acceptable basis. But the US Administration announced
in May 1981 that it was not prepared to participate in further
preparatory discussions until after the Mexico Summit (see below).
Global Negotiations have therefore been effectively put on ice
until the 36th UN General Assembly in late Autumn 1981.
The
8. The Report of the Independent Commission on International
Development Issues (the 'Brandt Commission') was published in
February 1980. The Mexican and Austrian Governments have taken the
initiative on one of the specific recommendations of the Brandt
Commission Report; namely for a 'limited' North/South Summit of leaders from countries from both the industrialised and developing
nations. The Summit is intended to give political impetus and greater co-ordination to international development efforts. The
Summit will take plce in Cancun, Mexico on 22/23 October 1981.
participating governments will meet in August to finalise agenda, participation, timing etc. The Government have accepted an invitation to attend the Summit meeting. They have welcomed the
contribution to North/South relations which such a Summit could
make. We hope for an informal loosely structured Summit, without
heavy bureaucratic preparation, without a closing communiqué and without formal links with the Global Negotiations. The subject areas likely to be covered are trade and industrialisation, energy, food
and money and finance.
ECDC
9. The protracted stalemate in the North/South Dialogue, and
particularly the failure to get Global Negotiations off the ground, has led the developing countries to focus increasingly on improving co-operation amongst themselves (the South/South dimension). This
is not seen as an alternative to the North/South consultations, but as complementing them and as strengthening the negotiating hand of the South. In principle, HMG has welcomed ECDC, believing that increased trade with the developing world could have a positive effect on global economic recovery. Our support is subject to
two reservation. We would resist arrangements that had the effect of
(83)