· GOVERNMENT WAS PREPARED TO ACCEPT THE RESULTS OF THE PACKAGE
OF BILATERAL ARRANGEMENTS NEGOTIATED BY THE COMMISSION AS A SATISFACTORY BASIS FOR RENEWING THE GATT MULTIFIBRE ARRANGEMENTS. HE WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT SIGRIST HAD SAID AS MUCH IN COREPER ON 25 NOVEMBER (UKREP BRUSSELS TELNO 7227).
2. FREITAG ADDED THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT WISH THE BILATERAL PACKAGE TO BE ENDANGERED BY THE COMMUNITY'S REFUSAL
TO AGREE TO THE SMALL INCREASES IN THE OVERALL CEILINGS WHICH WOULD BE NECESSARY IN ORDER TO REACH AGREEMENT WITH E. G. BRAZIL,
E.G. INDIA AND PAKISTAN.
3. THE MINISTRY OF THE ECONOMY HAVE TOLD US THAT THEIR DOUBTS WERE AS FOLLOWS #
+
A) THEY WONDERED WHETHER IT WAS REALLY NECESSARY TO MAKE SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS WITH SMALLER SUPPLIERS (HE SPECIFICALLY MADE MENTION OF PERU). HOWEVER, THE FRG WOULD NOT INSIST ON THIS POINT IF THAT WAS WHAT THE SMALLER COUNTRIES WANTED.
B) THE FRG ALSO DOUBTED WHETHER IT WAS NECESSARY TO MAKE SPECIAL
ARRANGEMENTS, WITH ASSOCIATED COUNTRIES (HE GAVE MOROCCO AS A CASE IN POINT) WHO WERE ARGUABLY COVERED ENOUGH ALREADY.
4. BUT IT IS CLEAR FROM FREITAG'S REMARKS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ARE NOW PREPARED TO GO AHEAD. THEY ATTACH IMPORTANCE TO A POSITIVE DECISION BY THE COUNCIL ON 20 DECEMBER,
WRIGHT
NNNN
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.