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THE QUESTION OF WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE A CONFERENCE OR COMMITTED
US NOW TO HOLDING ONE IN THE FUTURE. WE SHALL CONTINUE TO PLAY
OUR PART IN HELPING TO RESOLVE THE DEBT PROBLEMS OF DEVELOPING
COUNTRIES ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. OUR GOVERNMENT AND BANKS HAVE
A VERY GOOD RECORD IN THE INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS WHICH HAVE SO FAR
BEEN MOUNTED.
(IV) WE CAN ALSO SUPPORT MANY OF THE IDEAS IN THE OTHER TWO
REPORTS ON IMPROVING THE DIALOGUE WITH DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AND
RESISTING PROTECTIONISM. ON BOTH OF THESE SUBJECTS WE HAVE A
GOOD CASE TO MAKE. WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN STRONG ADVOCATES OF FREE
AND FAIR TRADING. WE HAVE MADE REPEATED EFFORTS TO PROMOTE
PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENTS IN THE NEGOTIATING PROCEDURES WITH
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. OPPOSITION TO SUCH IMPROVEMENTS HAS NOT
COME FROM US.
12.
COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION (OTTAWA, CANBERRA, WELLINGTON)
FOUNDATION WILL BE ASKING FOR AN INCREASE IN THEIR BUDGET FROM
POUNDS STERLING 1.1 MILLION TO POUNDS STERLING 1.6 MILLION.
THE PRESENT LEVEL WAS AGREED IN
1979, SO THEY HAVE A CASE IN PRINCIPLE FOR A SUBSTANTIAL
INCREASE. BUT YOU SHOULD SAY THAT WE COULD CERTAINLY NOT AGREE
TO A SINGLE LEAP OF NEARLY 50 PER CENT. WE HOPE THAT
CANADIANS/AUSTRALIANS/NEW ZEALANDERS WILL RESIST IT TOO.
13.
COMMONWEALTH ARTS ORGANISATION (OTTAWA, CANBERRA,
WELLINGTON)
COMMONWEALTH SECRETARIAT HAVE CIRCULATED A PAPER ON COMMONWEALTH
ARTS, AT REQUEST OF MEETING OF COMMONWEALTH SENIOR OFFICIALS IN
TANZANIA LAST DECEMBER. PAPER CONCLUDES THAT, IF GOVERNMENTS
WANT TO GIVE OFFICIAL SUPPORT TO COMMONWEALTH ARTS AND CULTURE,
THE LEAST EXPENSIVE OPTION WOULD BE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A
COMMONWEALTH ARTS DESK IN THE SECRETARIAT. EVEN THIS WOULD COST
AN EXTRA POUNDS STERLING 50,000 BASIC, PLUS
'A REASONABLE LEVEL OF PROGRAMME
FINANCING'. YOU SHOULD SAY THAT IN PRESENT FINANCIAL CLIMATE WE
COULD NOT, REPEAT NOT, AGREE TO A PROPOSAL OF THIS KIND.
ALREADY GIVE OVER POUNDS STERLING 2 MILLION A YEAR TO THE
(WE
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