Foreign and Commonwealth Office London SW1A 2AH
Telephone 01- 233 4807
APER
02215
Mr I Archbold
Home Office
No
·
رکھے
w/24h C
w/ 2612
сай
5/3 the 5731
Your reference
Our reference
Date 25 February 1982
EXTENSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL COFFEE AGREEMENT 1976
see?
1. The International Coffee Agreement 1976 will terminate on 30 September 1982. In September 1981 the Coffee Council agreed to extend the Agreement for one year, in the first instance, to allow time for
amendments to be considered. It was also decided to complete the process of amendment by 1 July 1982. The amended Agreement will take effect from 1 October 1983 provided it is ratified by sufficient countries.
2. We extended the territorial application of the Agreement under Article 64 on 19 August 1976 to include Hong Kong and on 21 January 1977 to include Guernsey and Jersey. We now have to ask these territories whether they wish the initial extension to apply to them. I attach two copies of the Resolution of Extension and would be most grateful if you would contact Guernsey and Jersey accordingly; we will contact Hong Kong. This initial extension does not alter the substance of the Agreement, and we will consult the territories again when the amendments now being proposed (of which there are a large number) have been agreed.
3. Our timetable is as follows. The text of the Resolution will be laid before Parliament for 21 sitting days from 25 February. During this period any Member may put down a question or seek a debate on the matter. If the period passes without comment the Resolution is considered approved, and we may proceed to notify our acceptance. We are required to deposit our Instrument of Acceptance by 30 September or failing this to sign and notify our provisional application by that date and deposit our Instrument of Acceptance by 31 March 1983. Whilst this gives us plenty of time I would not regard this as good reason for delay, particularly as the Coffee Council will meet several times in London over the next six months to consider the amendments proposed, and progress towards confirmation of the initial extension will probably become a regular agenda item. I therefore think we should aim to notify provisional application by 1 June, with a view to depositing our Instrument of Acceptance by 31 July. MAFF agree with this timetable. With this timing in mind, could I ask you to obtain a response from the islands by 14 May?