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Cabinet Committee Decision 771(Hoc)

16th May, 1957

Canberra,

Submission No. 643-Trade Negotiations-Japan

The Committee [1]:-

(1) approved the positions outlined under points (i) to (xi) in the first paragraph of the submission [2] (on pages 1-3);

(2) agreed, in connection with the assurance of duty free entry on wool for the initial three years of the Agreement, that Australia be prepared to enter into discussions with Japan within three years about the application of G.A.T.T.;

(3) agreed that:-

(a) Australia accept the Japanese offer on wheat as regards quantities;

(b) the delegation secure the best obtainable definition of price and of ‘unfair trade practices’;

(c) the delegation stand out for the Japanese to put on record, confidentially if need be, that in the absence of ‘unfair trade practices’, they will in fact buy not less than 200,000 tons and 300,000 tons in the first and second years respectively;

(4) agreed that the delegation press for the first alternative ‘emergency action’ arrangement as set out in paragraph 5(a) of the submission, but be authorised to accept the second alternative

5(b), if total agreement is not likely to be reached otherwise.

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[AA : A4926/XMI, VOLUME 26]