CONFIDENTIAL
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TRADE KINISTERS WERE ALSO UNABLE TO AGREE ON THE LEVEL OF CUTBACKS FOR 1983 OF STEEL KPORTS INTO THE COMMUNITY FROM THIRD COUNTRIES. THEY REJECTED A CONFROMISE FIGURE OF TEN PER CENT PROPOSED BY THE EC COMMISSION AFTER BOTH ITALY AND BRITAIN ARGUED STRONGLY FOR AT LEAST FIFTEEN PER CENT.
''I TOOK A GLOOMY VIEW ON THE WORLD DEMAND FOR STEEL WHICH SLUMPED BY EIGHT FER CENT WITH NO UPTURI IR SIGHT, SAID HR.REES. WHOSE COUNTRY IMPORTS ANNUALLY JUST UNDER ONE MILLION TONNES OF STEEL FROM NON-EC COUNTRIES. 190 1 ARGUED IT WAS FOR THE EC' TỠ BE SEEN VISIBLY AND PUBLICLY TO BE TAKING ACTION, HE SAID.
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HE CONTINUED:''I ALSO RAISED THE SPECIFIL CASE OF SPAIN AND: THE COMMISSION RECOGNISED THIS HAS A SPECIAL CASE PRESENTING PARTI- CULAR DIFFICULTIES FOR THE UK, THEY WILL NOW REPORT BACK TO THE .NEXT MINISTERIAL COUNCIL IN NOVEMBER."
TEXTILES
BRITAIN AND OTHER COUNTRIES ALSO SUCCESSFULLY RESISTED AN EC COMMISSION ATTEMPT. 10 RELAX SLIGHTLY THE MANDATE IN OUTSTANDING NEGOTIATIONS FOR A MULTI-F18RE ARRANGEMENT WITH THIRD WORLD TEXTILE EXPORTEKS.
SO FAR AGREEMENTS HAVE BEEN REACHED WITH 18 OUT OF A TOTAL, OF 27 COUNTRIES BUT NEGOTIATIONS ARE CURRENTLY SUSPENDED WITH MACAO, HONG KONG, SOUTH KOREA, ALL ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH EAST ASIAN (ASEAN) COUNTRIES EXCEPT THAILAND, ARGENTINA AND GRAZIL.
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THE COMMI5510N PROPOSED THAT TECHNICAL ADJUSTMENTS SHOULD BE. MADE TO 115 NEGOTIATING MANDATE, NOTABLY TO ALLOH FOR SOKE PART OF URUSED TEXTILE QUOTAS TO BE TRANSFERRED AMONG OTHER EC COUNTRIES. BRITAIN, ALONG WITH THE IRISH REPUBLIC, ARGUED THAT THESE ADJUSTMENTS AMOUNTED TO SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES WHICH HOULS HAVE RODICALLY AFFECTED QUOTA LEVELS.
SO THE MANDATE WILL STAY UNALTERED EXCEPT FOR SOKE KINOR FLEXIBILITY ALLOWED IN NEGOTIATIONS HITH ASEAN COUNTRIES (THE PHILIPPINES, KALAYSIA, SINGAPORE, INDONESIA, THAILAND). THEY WILL BE OFFERED INTERNAL TRANSFERS BETWEEN THEMSELVES OF UNUSED TEXTILE QUOTAS.
MINISTERS ALSO ASKED THE COMMISSION TO DRAW UP CONTINGENCY PLANS IN THE EVENT OF THE COMMUNITY WITHDRAWING FROM THE MFA. BUT 11 WAS BEING STRESSED HERE TONIGHT THAT IF THAT HAPPENED BILATERAL DEALS ALREADY NEGOTIATED HOULD BE HONOURED. (LPS)
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CONFIDENTIAL
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