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THE QUESTION THEREFORE AROSE - ALTHOUGH HE EMPHASISED HE HAD NOT
REACHED ANY FIRM OPINION AND WE KNOW THAT THE AMERICANS DO
NOT SEE EYE TO EYE WITH HIM ON THE SUBJECT WHETHER THIS
A
WAS NOT A CASE FOR A VOLUNTARY ARRANGEMENT AMONG THOSE CONCERNED WHICH WOULD NOT INVOLVE THE COMPLEXITIES OF A GATT ARRANGEMENT.
3. HE ALSO RAISED THE QUESTION WHETHER THE AMERICAN MOVE MEANT THAT THE CONTRACTING PARTIES WERE GOING TO HAVE TO 'PAY''
THE AMERICANS AGAIN JUST AS WE HAD PAID'' THEM OVER THE AGRICULTURAL WAIVER OF 1955 AND THE COTTON TEXTILES ARRANGEMENT OF 1962. WAS THERE TO BE A FURTHER PRICE TO BE PAID FOR LIBERAL
AMERICAN TRADE BEHAVIOUR?
4. GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTIES IN THE STUATION, LONG DOES NOT ENVISAGE ANY INFORMAL MEETINGS IN ADVANCE OF MR STANS' ARRIVAL
IN GENEVA. HE WOULD HOWEVER BE INTERESTED TO HAVE ANY VIEWS WHICH WE MIGHT CARE TO EXPRESS TO HIM AND HE WILL OF COURSE, INFORM US FULLY ABOUT THE CONVERSATIONS WHICH HE HAS WITH MR STANS. LIKEWISE HE WILL BE VERY INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT
TRANSPIRES IN LONDON.
5. NOT SURPRISINGLY, THERE IS LITTLE WHICH CAN USEFULLY BE REPORTED ABOUT REACTIONS OF OTHER CONTRACTING PARTIES IN GENEVA. FOR WHAT IT IS WORTH, THE JAPANESE HERE SEEM LESS CONCERNED ABOUT TEXTILES THAN ABOUT HOW THE AMERICANS MOVE ON PREFERENCES FOR THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. THEY ARE AFRAID THAT IF THE AMERICANS FOLLOW THE E E C IN BASING THEIR OFFER ON A QUOTA SYSTEM, THE WAY WOULD BE OPEN FOR DISCRIMINATORY ARRANGEMENTS AFFECTING THEM, E G ON STEEL.
6. THE L D C'S WILL HAVE VERY LIMITED OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN THEIR POINT OF VIEW TO MR STANS IN GENEVA. WHILE THE L D C EXPORTERS OF COTTON TEXTILES WILL HAVE A DIRECT INTEREST IN WHAT MR STANS MAY SAY ON THE TEXTILE QUESTION, L D CS GENERALLY WILL BE INTERESTED IN THE VISIT CHIEFLY FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF PREFERENCES AND ALSO, ACCORDING TO THE TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO AMBASSADOR HERE, WHO IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE INFORMAL GROUP OF L D C S IN THE GATT, AS REGARDS THE TRADE ASPECTS OF THE SECOND DEVELOPMENT DECADE I E AN UNCTAD RATHER THAN A GATT
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