TNAG-0629-FCO40-777-Effect-of-GATT-Multi-Fibre-Arrangement-on-Hong-Kong-negotiat-1988 — Page 120

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GENERAL AGREEMENT ON

TARIFFS AND TRADE

Textiles Committee

Aris Jove farke

19.3690.

RESTRICTED

COM.TEX/W/45 25 July 1977

Special Distribution

SUMMING UP BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE TEXTILES COMMITTEE

ON 24 JULY 1977

1. Nearly all delegates expressed their desire and even their will that the MFA be extended, one way or another; but major differences are still outstanding between the positions of delegations on a number of key issues.

2.

3.

(a) Some delegates requested more time in order to consider the problem, receive instructions and pursue the concertation.

(b) Many delegates said that they wished to proceed as provided in docu- ment COM.TEX/W/43 and came out "in favour of the MFA being extended in its present form for a period of

years".

(c) Many delegates said that they wished to proceed as provided in docu- ment COM.TEX/W/44 and "that the MFA in its present form should be extended for a period of four years subject to confirmation by signature, as from

From

15 December 1977, of a Protocol for this purpose", "on the basis of the elements mentioned in paragraphs 1 through 8" of the above-mentioned document. what I understood, these delegations firmly intend to go ahead on this basis.

In the light of all the statements that we have heard, I do not believe that these gaps can be bridged in the Textiles Committee now or within the next few days.

The Textiles Committee is therefore not in a position to decide now on the future of the MFA.

4.

On the other hand, I hope that the delegations and the governments which they represent will wish to pursue their contacts in order to seek the means to satisfy all those concerned who have stated that they wish to continue in the future to benefit from the framework provided by the MFA for the conduct of their trade in textiles.

In this hope, I propose that the Committee be prepared to reconvene as soon as it may usefully do so.

5.

6.

Everything is still possible since the MFA is in force until the end of 1977.

Personally and in the more general context of trade relations as a whole, I would wish to add that it seems to me that it is extremely important to make every effort in order that the MFA be extended, failing which, we might very well witness the beginning of the disintegration of international trade.

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