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Cabinet Sub-Committee on Trade and Employment Minute

Decision 290, CANBERRA, 3 August 1948

MODIFICATION OF OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE OTTAWA AGREEMENT BY THE G.A.T.T.

It was noted that the United Kingdom had recently made informal approaches to conclude the proposed agreements setting out the modification of the Ottawa obligations between the U.K. and Australia caused by the obligations undertaken by the two countries under the G.A.T.T.[1] It was decided that the Inter-Departmental Committee should examine the earlier drafts[2] of the ‘Gentlemen’s Agreement’ and prepare a draft for further consideration by Cabinet Sub-Committee.

_[1] On 4 July 1948 officials of the Board of Trade had raised the matter with E. McCarthy, Secretary of the Department of Commerce and Agriculture and member of the Australian delegation.

[2] For earlier drafts see Volume 12, Documents 141-3.

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[AA : A462, 604/10]