TNAG-0633-FCO40-781-Effect-of-GATT-Multi-Fibre-Arrangement-on-Hong-Kong-negotiat-1977 — Page 67

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(A) MORE PRECISE CRITERIA FOR DEALING WITH IMPORTS FROM NEW SUPPLIERS

WITH WHICH NO AGREEMENTS HAD BEEN NEGOTIATED:

(B) THE HANDLING OF RESTRAINTS ON IMPORTS FROM SPAIN, PORTUGAL,

GREECE AND TURKEY:

(C) THE HANDLING OF INTRA-TRADE IN THE COMMUNITY OF IMPORTED TEXTILES

(A);

ESPECIALLY, BUT ALSO (B) BEING OF CONSIDERABLE IMPORTANCE TO THE UNITED KINGDOM AND (C) OF MORE IMPORTANCE TO THE ITALIANS.

3. DENIAU (FRANCE) IN A SERIES OF INTERVENTIONS WELCOMED THE

COMMISSION'S ASSURANCES ON PORTUGAL, SPAIN, GREECE AND TURKEY BUT

ARGUED THAT THE COMMISSION SHOULD NOT COMMIT THEIR SIGNATURE IN

ANY WAY TO THE PROTOCOL RENEWING THE MFA UNTIL ALL THE BILATERAL

AGREEMENTS HAD BEEN SIGNED BY THE EXPORTING COUNTRIES. AND HE MADE THE WELCOME POINT (WHICH WAS IN THE END AGREED) THAT NO. FINAL

SIGNATURE OF BILATERAL AGREEMENTS SHOULD TAKE PLACE UNTIL THEIR

CONTENTS HAD BEEN CONSIDERED BY AN ARTICLE 113 COMMITTEE, DENIAU

ALSO SAID THAT FRANCE ASSUMED THAT SUBSEQUENT ADJUSTMENTS TO BURDEN

SHARES WOULD BE POSSIBLE.

4. DURING THE DEBATE MR DELL SAID THAT THE UK HAD CONSIDERED THE

QUESTION OF RENEWAL OF THE MFA, CERTAINLY WITH AN EYE ON POTENTIAL REPERCUSSIONS ON THE NORTH/SOUTH DIALOGUE AND THE MULTILATERAL

NEGOTIATIONS, BUT VERY MUCH ALSO WITH FULL REGARD TO THE YELL

BEING OF THE TEXTILE INDUSTRIES IN EUROPE INCLUDING THE UNITED

KINGDOM. THE BILATERAL AGREEMENTS NEGOTIATIED BY THE COMMISSION

AND HE RECOGNISED THE COMMISSION'S ACHIEVEMENT OFFERED MUCH

BETTER COVERAGE AND GREATER SECURITY FOR THE FUTURE. AN IMPORTANT

UK PROBLEM HAD BEEN WITH THE UNCERTAINTIES ATTACHED TO THE FIGURES

IN THE COMMISSION'S REPORT. FURTHER DISCUSSIONS OVERNIGHT HAD HELPED

TO CLARIFY THE SITUATION. HE NOW HAD FIRM MAXIMUM FIGURES FOR IMPORTS

OF THE PRODUCTS IN GROUP 1: THE COMMISSION'S NEW PAPERS (ESPECIALLY THE ONE DEALING WITH NEW SUPPLIERS): AND AN AGREED REVISION TO THE

UK LIABILITIES ON IMPORTS OF COTTON CLOTH. ALL THESE THINGS ENABLED

HIM TO AGREE THAT THE MFA SHOULD BE RENEWED. BUT SUCH RENEWAL MUST

BE SUBJECT TO THE PILATERAL AGREEMENTS WITH EXPORTING COUNTRIES BEING

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/SIGNED