14
"We are concerned that there might be a tine limit placed
with regard to the bilateral negotiations to prevent
forestalling.....
40.
As already explained, delays in the conclusion of negotiations were more câten than not caused by the Community itself. And it is unlikely to cut much ice with developing
countries by proposing to change the MPA to solve a problem
often of its own making. Like the problem of fixing a reference period for Article 4 negotiations, this problem can be overcome in the same way since Article 3 provides that
if there has been no agreement after sixty days from the date of request for consultations, the exporting country may impose import restrictions.
41.
Constation
A further meeting of the Textiles Committee was held
in Geneva on 16 March. There was again no progress in the di scussion on the future of the MFA because the Community was again without a negotiating mandate, Australia, Cenada, Austria, and the Nerdic countries proposed various proposals, including the concdpt of cumulative market disruption. The Community expressed sympathy with these ideas, having first made it clear that it was not yet ready to negotiate and its
remarks should not been seen as referring to cumulative market
disruption on which it had not yet formulated a view. The USA
and most developing exporting countries were still in favour
of renewal. India and Brazil observed however that the GATT
was preferable to a bad MFA. Pakistan and some others made it clear that they were not prepared to take part in negotiations cined at naking the MA Lens restrictive. Interventions were
more politically oriented than before and there were several references to the North/South dialogue.
42.
The Community's intervention at this meeting
confirms indications we have received that the Member States
have agreed on all the elements of a negotiating mandate with
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