TNAG-0044-FCO40-80-Exports-to-the-Benelux-countries-aide-memoires-1967 — Page 104

countries in exporting butter to the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom Government would continue to take account of these interests when establishing the United Kingdom import quotaa". I a sure you will appreciate that the reference to "special interests" in your draft might be open to misinterpretation since many of the smaller suppliers of butter to the United Kingdom might equally claim "special interesta". We do our best to treat all suppliers as fairly as possible and we would see difficulty in accepting a formulation which could be taken as implying that the Benelux countries were in a favoured position. We do, of course, take Benelux interests into account already in fixing our quotas and our redraft covers this point also.

Artiole 10 -No comment

Article 11-As you are already aware we are considerable difficult in setting up a liaison committec of the sort envisage in this Article. We have grave doubts whether sufficient material is available to provide worthwhile agenda, and we fear that this suggestion if adopted might lead our other European trading partners to euggest similar committees which would badly overload our administration. It has hitherto been possible to solve virtually all trading issues between us through normal commercial diplomatic channels and we greatly hope that this will continue to be the case.

If on a particular occasion there should be a need to discuss trade issues in a formal Anglo-Benelux forum, a better way might be to use the occasions of the meetings of the Anglo-Benelux Committee. I should be grateful if you would reconsider this proposal in the light of our vicwe.

Article 12

and 13

Article 14

No comment.

As we envisage a further revision of this agreed Kinute we suggest that this Article should be redrafte‹ to read:- "The arrangements in this Agreed Minute are valid as from 1st January 1957 and except where the contrary is stated remain in force until 31st March 1968".

we aleo suggest the addition of a new Article after the revised Article 9, to deal with the Netherlands coal quota as follows:- "The representatives or the Netherlands Government recognised the interests of the United Kingdom in exporting coal to the Netherlands. The Netherlands Government would continue to take account of these interesir when establishing the Netherlands import quotas for domestic coal ‘.

/We suggest