UNCLASSIFIED
17500
MDHIAN 79
THERE WILL NOT BE TWO BITES AT THE CHERRY AS THE SG INTENDS
TO PROCEED IMMEDIATELY TO LINE BY LINE NEGOTIATION. MOREOVER OTHER
MEMBER STATES DO NOT LOOK KINDLY UPON PROPOSALS FOR MAJOR CHANGES
TABLED LATE IN THE DRAFTING PROCESS. AMENDMENTS AFTER THE COMMUNIQUE DRAFTING HAS STARTED SHOULD BE LIMITED TO AREAS WHICH
HAVE BEEN OPENED UP BY OURSELVES OR OTHERS IN THE NEGOTIATION.
ADDRESSEES SHOULD ENCOURAGE THE EC TO AGREE ITS LINE AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE IN THE AREAS IN WHICH IT HAS COMPETENCE.
4.
OUR WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE EITHER GENERAL IN NATURE OR MORE SPECIFIC. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF DEPARTMENTS COULD DISTINGUISH BETWEEN
TARGETS OF CHOICE. THOSE PASSAGES WHICH WE SHOULD FIGHT TO
KEEP/DELETE/AMEND FROM THIS DRAFT. DEPARTMENTS SHOULD SUPPLY
JUSTIFICATION IN ALL CASES AND, WHERE NECESSARY, ALTERNATIVE WORDING AND AN INDICATION OF POSSIBLE FALL BACK POSITIONS AND
BOTTOM LINES.
TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY.
PASSAGES OVER WHICH WE DO NOT FEEL STRONGLY BUT WHERE IT WOULD BE DESIRABLE TO SLIP IN AMENDMENTS
IF OPPORTUNITY PRESENTS.
WHERE APPLICABLE DEPARTMENTS WITH A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY IN A
PARTICULAR AREA SHOULD SEEK TO AGREE A LINE AND NOT LEAVE THIS TO
ERD OR UKDEL.
5. THE DRAFTING POINTS WHICH UKDEL FEELS MIGHT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED
IN OUR WRITTEN CONTRIBUTION TO THE SECRETARIAT ARE SET OUT BELOW.
GENERAL
6. THE COMMUNIQUE IS SHORTER AND MORE READABLE THAN LAST YEAR'S DRAFT, BUT STILL OVER LONG. WE SHOULD RESIST ATTEMPTS TO MAKE IT LONGER. IF WE WISH TO SUGGEST ADDITIONS COULD WE ALSO SUGGEST COMPENSATING DELETIONS.
7. THE TONE IN WELCOME CONTRAST TO THE SYNTHESIS PAPER SEEMS ABOUT RIGHT. THERE IS MUCH IN THE ECONOMIC PARAGRAPHS WE CAN SUPPORT. MORE TROUBLESOME IS THE SECTION ON NON-MEMBERS. WE SHALL NEED TO MAKE OUR PERENNIAL POINTS ABOUT PRESERVING THE OECD'S VALUE FOR MEMBERS AND CONCENTRATING ON AREAS WHERE IT HAS COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE.
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