BRITISH POLICY

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 305, 19 August 1932, Page 5

BRITISH POLICY

(Presa. Assn.-

SAFEGUARD PREFERENCES

— By Telegraph — Copyright).

JK.ec. Aug. 18, 7 p.m. Ottawa, August 17. The report of the Committee of Commercial Relations with Foreign Powers, which was issued to-night, states that the representatives of Empire Governments declared that it is their policy that no future treaty obligations should he allowed to interfere with the mutual preferences which the Empire Governments might decide to accord each other, and that they would free themselves from anv

existing "favoured-nation" treaties which might so interfere. They would in fact, take all the steps necessary to implement and safeguard the preferences granted. Regarding the tendencies of foreign countries to conclude regional agreements for mutual preferences there was general agreement that foreign countries having existing treaty obligations to grant favoured-nation treatment to the products of particular parts of the Empire, could not be allowed to override such obligations by regional agreements. Particular reference was made to the Danubian States regarding preferential treatment of cereal exports. The committee was informed that at Lausanne the rights of third countries had been expressly reserved at Britain's instance. The committee recognised that "favoured-nation" rights do not preclude a foreign country seeking the consent of Empire Governments to waiving their rights in particular cases. These Governments must be guided by their individual interests, in deciding whether to meet a foreign country's wishes so long however, as tne general £rinciple that rights of this kind cannot he arbitrarily withdrawn, is fully and carefully preserved. The committee recommends where two Empire Governments share a common interest in any treaty waiving the prop-osal, they should consult together with a view to arriving at a common policy.