TNAG-0134-FCO40-170-Tariff-preferences-for-developing-countries-1969 — Page 50

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FROM UKMIS GENEVA TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

BY BAG

Sir Eugene Melville

No. 100 Saving

4 July 1969

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NEUTRAL

RECEIVED IN

[R ̃GITRYN 51

•

- 7 JUL 1969

нккый

A

Marsh

References Fle Кровелиссо

Addressed to F.C.0. telegram No. 100 Saving of

4 July 1969.

Repeated for information Saving to:-

UNCTAD:

UKDEL OECD, Paris

UKDEL EEC, Brussels

Washington

Hong Kong (for Jones)

Special Committee on Preferences

Wintermans (Netherlands) replaced Fischbach (Luxembourg) as a Vice-Chairman under the Community's agreed rotation.

This session had been scheduled to last until 16 July under the programme agreed at the first session so that the preference giving countries could undertake "intensive con- sultations" on the basis of substantive documentation which the OECD agreed to provide if possible in good time before the session. In the informal consultations which the Secretary General had held under the procedure agreed at the second session agreement was reached that since no documentation could be submitted for consideration at the third session, the meeting should last only a few days, but the Group of 77 made clear that they wanted:

(i) a precise date when substantive documentation would

be made available to them, and

(ii) agreement that working groups could be called by the

Secretary General after informal consultations at an appropriate time (U.K. Mission, Geneva, Telegram No. 383).

Plenary

86

3. The third session therefore met to consider these two requests and by common consent did not go through the formal agenda. Papers submitted by the Secretariat and the report of the Working Group on Rules of Origin were also not discussed. After a brief report from the Secretary General on his con- sultations, the session opened with an agreed statement by Reed (Norway), Chairman of Group B, which was categorical about the future timetable of work in OECD following the decision reached in the Trade Committee on 13 June (U.K. Del. OECD Telegram No. 66) in the light of the intention of the U.S.A. to make their submission in July, but refused any concessions on further working groups in advance of the documentation. No individual country statements were made by any member of Group B.

14.

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