Your UN37. [1]

We find ourselves in the difficulty that the procedure
arrangements for conducting the multilateral tariff negotiations
at Geneva are based on an exchange of rate request lists [2]
occurring on or about 31st December and that this basic
requirement is not being observed.

Up to date Australia has not received rate request lists from any
Member of the Preparatory Committee. The only lists received by
Australia are lists of a preliminary nature from United States,
United Kingdom, South Africa and Norway. Renewed inquiries are
being made in other countries in an endeavour to ascertain which
if any of them intend to present requests upon Australia.

The delay in the receipt of requests from other countries makes it
more or less impossible within the time remaining to advance
highly essential Preparatory work to the stage necessary to make
it possible for our delegates to adhere to the full programme of
negotiations contemplated by the Memorandum of Procedures on the
basis of the timetable envisaged at the London meeting of the
Preparatory Committee.

For the reason that the completion of Australian preparations is
dependent upon prior and timely action by other countries it is
quite impossible at the moment to say to what extent Australia
could follow the procedures laid down in the Memorandum on
Procedure. In those circumstances the Government is not for the
time being in a position to reach the decisions necessary to
enable it to respond to the invitation to express its views on the
procedural recommendations of the Preparatory Committee. The
matter is receiving attention and we shall reply as soon as
possible.

It would be helpful if in the meanwhile you could ascertain and
advise whether the United Nations Secretariat has received any
information indicative of whether particular countries will either
be ready or not ready to proceed with detailed tariff negotiations
on 8th April with particular reference.