CONFIDENTIAL
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17.
On Westlands Mr Heseltine agreed that a conclusion was
needed soon.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
18. On Tin, Mr Brittan said he had told Mme Cresson that his legal advice was that each country was liable for the actions of the buffer stock manager. He hoped the French Government could accept our proposal for liabilities to be met and an orderly run-down of tin stocks. Mme Cresson had said she would take legal advice.
19. In discussion of multilateral trade negotiations
Mme Cresson had expressed reservations about pressure on
Brazil and India. She did not think there should be a start of GATT talks until pressure for protectionism in the United States had receded. Mr Brittan, who had recently returned from the US, did not assess the American position in the same way. We would not gain by delaying the GATT talks. As regards a new Multifibre Arrangement, the two Ministers agreed on a measure of liberalisation towards the poorest countries and countries not imposing barriers to the Community's
exports.
20.
On EC/US Steel it was vital for the UK to secure
assurances from the United States on semi-finished products. Otherwise we would not be able to approve the agreement which
had been negotiated.
21. It was agreed that revisions to the Generalised Scheme of Preferences should take account of the fact that some newly
industrialised countries no longer needed preferential
arrangements.
22. Mme Cresson had stressed the need for an
EC/Mediterranean agreement on citrus, in the light of the European Community's wish to assist the Maghreb. The United Kingdom wanted the issue settled and a running sore removed.
CONFIDENTIAL
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