TNAG-1402-FCO40-1874-Future-of-Hong-Kong-continued-participation-in-the-General-A-1985 — Page 158

ACCORD GÉNÉRAL

-SUR LES TARIFS DOUANIERS

*T LE COMMERCE

TÉLÉPHONE: (022) 31 02 31

TÉLÉGRAMMES: GATT, GENÈVE

TÉLEX: 28787 GATT CH

RÉFÉRENCE:

GENERAL AGREEMENT

ON TARIFFS AND TRADE

Destroy after

Centre William Rappard

Rue de Lausanne 154

Register GR 12474 CH 1211 GENÈVE 21

Received in Registry

20 JCT 1983

XXVI/101/ANTIGUA

Desk Officer

Registry

8 OCT 1989

INDEX

PA

ACTION

DR 201

NONE

PRIORITY

Sir,

I have the honour to refer to the question of the de facto application of the General Agreement on Tarts and Trade to the territory of Antigua and Barbuda.

In 1948 the Government of the United Kingdom advised that the General Agreement would be applied to the territories for the international relations of which it was responsible, which included the customs territory of Antigua and Barbuda.

Contacti

Consequently, since 1948 the contracting parties to the General Agreement have accorded to the trade of Antigua and Barbuda all the advantages, including in particular most-favoured-nation treatment, provided for in the General Agreement.

that

I have now been advised by the Government of the United Kingdom

as from 1 November 1961, Antigua and Barbuda became independent.

In this connexo I draw your attention to a recommendation adopted by the CONTRACTING PARTIES on 11 November 1967 (copy enclosed). The Recommendation recognizes that the governments of territories which aquire autonomy will normally require some time to consider their future commercial policy and the question of their relations with the General Agreement. This Recommendation applies in respect of Antigua and Barbuda and contracting parties, therefore, will continue to apply the General Agreement on facto basis to their trade with Antigua and Barbuda. I would like to point out that the Recommendation has no time-limit. This makes it possible for a government of a newly-independent country to continue receiving on a de facto basis the benefits derived from the General Agreement. On the other hand the Recommendation is subject

His Excellency the Deputy Prime Minister

and Minister for Foreign Affairs

St. John's

Antigua and Barbuda

a de

./..