TNAG-0135-FCO40-171-Tariff-preferences-for-developing-countries-1969 — Page 159

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did this and subsequently had to remove all items in which

Commonwealth lde's make representations our offer would be

reduced even further. This may be so and if MAFF raise strong

objections I do not feel that we should labour the point.

Novertheless, I feel that we should inject a note of caution

and urge the MAFF and the Board of Trade to look again at the

lists to see whether any other items of major trade interest

to the old Commonwealth can be removed without reducing the

offer to negligible proportions.

Commonwealth Consultation.

10. We fully support the Board of Trade view that we should

begin consultations with the 'old' Commonwealth as soon as

possible. MAPF have previously argued that we should hold up

consultations until one week before the final OECD discussions

which are due to start on 24 September. Our view is that we

should start consultations as soon as possible and at least

offer concessions where we are able in the hope that they will

then be more willing to waive their contractual rights on other

items in our list which are of less interest to them.

We are

fully committed to Commonwealth consultations and we run the

risk of incurring the odium of the 'old' Commonwealth if we

merely present them with a revised list and do not give them

realistic period in which to comment and negotiate. MAPP wil1

probably argue that our aim should be to present excessive

depredation of our offer before it appears in OECD.

Our

argument is that the scope of our revised offer is defensible

within OECD in terms of value when compared with other offers

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/and