CONFIDENTIAL
Rephed 2/4.
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28/01
Commonwealth Finance Ministers' Meeting
London, 25-26 September, 1968.
I attach a draft of CFM(68)1 prepared by the Treasury on
which I should be grateful for comments.
The Treasury consider that, as this year's meeting will be
held in London, enabling quick reference to be made on unexpected
points that may arise in the discussion, this is a good
opportunity to fulfil a long ambition to cut down the number of
briefs. The draft list of briefs at Annex B is therefore shorter
than last year;
it omits three briefs on E.E.C. matters, one
on matters from the Nairobi Conference, one on Rhodesia, and one
on the venue of next year's meeting.
3. We need to consider whether a brief on Rhodesia is desirable
this year and whether it is sensible to omit a brief on the venue
of next year's conference; also whether any other defensive
briefs are required. So far as next year's venue is concerned,
it seems likely that our own delegation will be asked for their
thoughts on this, if not formally in the main meeting, at least
informally; therefore there may be some merit in having a brief
on this point.
4. You will see that CFM(68)1 deals only with provisional
briefing arrangements and will be followed by CFM(68)2
containing a revised list of briefs. Last year, CFM(67)1 was
issued on 21 July and CFM(67)2 on 8 August, but it is hoped
to get these papers out a good deal earlier this year, partly
because the meeting is to be in London and partly because
apparently many briefs failed to meet the circulation deadline
/last
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