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Group
13 December
IDENTIAL
4. THE MINISTER OF STATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE said that the meeting in Brussels of representatives of the 24 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries to review assistance to Poland and Hungary, which the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary had attended, had gone well and had shown increased momentum. There were signs of greater participation from non-European countries, particularly Japan. It was clear that very considerable resources would be available to Poland, once she had signed agreement with the International Monetary Fund, and also
other East European countries as they demonstrated a ine commitment to democratic reform.
Agriculture Council
11-12 December
THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD said that the meeting of the Agriculture Council had been long but successf satisfactory agreement had been reached on the veterinary inspection of meat products imported from other Member States. This increased the chances of satisfactory decisions on the more difficult and crucial issues of inspectors of imports of live animals and plants for disease conturposes.
poses. The Council had also discussed the paper wh the Community was due to table by the end of the year agriculture in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade Rot discussions.
discussions. The text proposed
by the Commission went her in the direction of liberalisation than he expected, given the known views of the Agriculture Commissies. Although it continued to advocate the rebalancing of external protection, it showed some movement towards the Unitedstates position on tariffication. For this reason had been opposed by those Member States most stronkygainst further agricultural reform, particularly germany and Spain. A number of Member States had argue against tabling any paper at all. He had argued in favour of the paper being tabled and had given general support to the text in the hope that this might improve the chance of obtaining helpful modifications. There would be a farther discussion of the text at the Foreign Affairs council on 18-19 December.
ONFIDENTIAL
Fisheries
Council
17-19 December
THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD săi the forthcoming meeting of the Fisheries Council wo of crucial importance. It would determine the total allowable catch for 1990 and its allocation between Member States. In addition it would have to consider the propo agreement with Norway on the amount of catch to be allocated to Norwegian and Community fisherman in each other's waters during 1990. Because Norwegian fishing in
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