19
it is not possible to extract relevant figures from available
trade statistics, and their extraction would in any case be
enormously laborious.
17.
18.
Ontions open to the U.K.
We have to decide how to revise the U.K. offer on Chapters
25-99 in the light of what we know about the other countries'
intentions, and bearing in mind the special conditions we
attach to non-cotton textiles and iron and steel products.
Clearly in the light of the other submissions described
in paragraphs 5-11 above there can be no question of maintaining
our original offer both because domestic industry would not
accept the loss of its protection against developing countries' goods when other major industrialised countries are preserving
a good proportion of their's and because we could not assure
Commonwealth developing countries that the loss of their
preferential advantages in our market would be at least compensated
by now advantages in other large industrialised countries. It
is difficult to form any final view on this matter before all the submissions are available and, in particular, before we
know what preferences if any the USA are prepared to envisage
within the 0.E.C.D's discussions. But the time that will be
available in which to react to the U.S. submission when it is
tabled is likely to be short, given the holiday season, before
the other O.E.C.D. countries have to make what modifications they
rust to their original submission during September and finalising
the package in October. The E.E.C. however, are unlikely to
move significantly from their existing offers, except possibly
in the agricultural sector, and the task of modifications in
order to achieve "burden-sharing" therefore mainly confronts the
other countries, among which the U.K. with its Commonwealth
/rosponsibilities
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