611.5531/154
The Secretary of State to the Belgian Chargé ( De Ligne )
Sir: With reference to proposal made looking to trade agreement negotiations between the Government of the United States and the Belgian Government, I attach for transmission to your Government a list of products on which concessions are being asked for by the Government of the United States.21 In addition to the concessions requested in the attached schedule, proposals regarding the treatment to be accorded by Belgium to electric washing machines, automatic coal stokers, and fishing tackles are under consideration. It is understood that a list of concessions desired of the United States by your Government will be handed today to the American Ambassador at Brussels by the appropriate Belgian authorities.
The general provisions of the proposed agreement to be suggested by this Government will be submitted to you at an early date. Amongst these proposals will be those providing for most-favored-nation treatment in respect of customs matters; national treatment in respect of internal taxation; and limitation on the amount of internal taxes which might be levied on those products on which concessions may be accorded. Provisions will likewise be suggested by which no quantitative restrictions shall be placed on those products on which concessions may be given and by which such quantitative restrictions as may be applied to commodities on which concessions are not sought will be applied in an equitable manner.
[Page 86]Upon receipt of the desiderata of your Government, I wish to assure you that careful and sympathetic study will be given to them in the hope that early discussions may be undertaken.
Accept [etc.]
- Not printed.↩