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			SUMMARY RECORD OF THE 38TH MEETING OF THE  COUNCIL OF ACP MINISTERS  Brussels, from 17 to 19th, and in Luxembourg on 20th June 1985 Ref: ACP/25/052/85 Rev.1 Brussels, 14 October 1985

OPENING CEREMONY

The 38^th session of the Council of ACP Ministers was held from 17^th to 19^th June 1985 in Brussels, and the following day, 20^th June, in Luxembourg. The proceedings were presided over by the President-in-Office of the Council of ACP Ministers, H.E. Mr Pascal NZE, Minister of Planning and of National Development of the Republic of Gabon.

Before making his opening statement, the President invited Council to observe a minute's silence in memory of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Tourism and Civil Aviation of Fiji, Hon. Jonati M. MAVOA who died on 16^th June 1985. The President recalled the active role the late MAVOA played when his country hosted the ACP and ACP/EEC Ministerial sessions in Suva in April / May 1984. The President informed Council that a message of condolence would be sent, on Council's behalf, to the Fiji authorities.

Continuing his opening address to Council, the President recalled the celebrations, the week before, of the 10^th anniversary of the signing of the Georgetown Agreement. He commended the ACP countries for having taken up the challenge of the Founding Fathers. The President also paid tribute to the Committee of Ambassadors and to the Secretariat for their efforts in organizing the celebrations.

Further, the President drew council's attention to the items on the agenda of the 38^th ACP Ministerial session, the first being held within the framework of Lome III and also

the first after the 10^th anniversary of the ACP Group. Council, the President stated, would be called upon to consider such urgent and delicate issues as the serious financial situation of the ACP Secretariat, the election of the Secretary General, preparations for both the 10^th ACP/EEC Council to be held in Luxembourg on 21^st June and the 2^nd special Intra-ACP Ministerial session scheduled for October in Harare, the aggravation of the situation in Southern Africa, famine, drought and desertification problems, etc ... The President ended by paying tribute to the Committee of Ambassadors, to the interim Secretary General Mr E. W. CARRINGTON and his staff, as well as to the former Secretary General, Mr T. OKELO-ODONGO for the service rendered to the ACP Group.

1. Adoption of the agenda [ACP/25/041/85 Rev.7]

The draft agenda was adopted with the following amendments :

(iv) the order of items 7 and 8 was reversed.

(v) A new item was included as point 17 : "the International Centre for Bantu Civilization" (CICIBA)

2. Accession of Angola to the Georgetown Agreement

Council unanimously agreed to Angola's request for accession to the Georgetown Agreement and admitted it a member of the ACP Group of States. On behalf of Council the President extended a warm welcome to the Angolan delegation.

3. Communication from the President

The President informed Council that its Bureau had held a meeting at which a number of issues were discussed. He proceeded to pay tribute to his predecessor, the Hon. R. NAMALIU, Minister of foreign Affairs and Trade of Papua New Guinea, for the tremendous amount of work he and his Bureau had accomplished during their term of office.

4. Appointment of a Rapporteur

The President advised Council that after considering the above matter the Bureau, noting that it had been the turn of the West African Group, but that this group had held the post for the last meeting in Togo, had agreed to recommend that the Rapporteur be appointed from the Caribbean region. The meeting adopted the recommendation.

The Caribbean region appointed Jamaica as the Rapporteur to the 38^th Session of the Council of ACP Ministers. Council unanimously endorsed this designation.

The following country was appointed by its region to assist the Rapporteur :

Papua New Guinea - Pacific Region

The President appealed to other regions to appoint their friends of the Rapporteur as soon as possible.

5. Approval of the Summary record of the 37^th Session of the Council of ACP Ministers held in Lomé in December 1984 [ACP/25/034/85 Rev.4].

After the presentation of the above draft summary record by the Head of the Togolese delegation, it was carried by acclamation.

Matters Arising :

the Head of delegation of Burkina Faso told the meeting that, as there has been no answer to the questions asked by his delegation at the 37^th Session concerning the election of the Secretary General, those questions had the force of a reservation, pending a reply.

6. Report of the Committee of Ambassadors on its Activities since the Lomé Ministerial Session [ACP/26/008/85 (Secr.) Rev.1].

In his presentation of the report of the Committee of Ambassadors on its activities since the Lomé Ministerial Session, H. E. Mr Harold Sahadeo, Ambassador of Guyana and Chairman of the Committee of Ambassadors, drew Council's attention to issues on which it was invited to take a decision, give new directives or fresh mandates; namely :

TRADE

i. GSP : the question of the GSP had been of great concern to the Committee of Ambassadors. The central issue regarding this subject was the Community's failure to adhere to its undertaking to take into account objections raised by the ACP in its Memorandum on the Community's Scheme for 1985. Council was requested to endorse the following recommendations which would form the basis of a future approach in this matter :

- that the Community should be requested to take full account of the observations submitted by the ACP States on 13 May 1985, on the Community's Scheme of Generalised Preferences;

- that in future schemes, effective consultations should take place in good time to ensure that ACP views on the Community GSP were received for consideration by the EEC Council before it arrived at a decision on proposals made to it by the Commission;

- that informal contacts should take place between the ACP General Secretariat and the commission at the time when the Commission formulated its proposals for the following year.

Council endorsed the above recommendations after examining them.

ii. Cocoa Products : proposed EEC Directives to use Vegetable Oils and Fats other then Cocoa Butter in the manufacture of Chocolate

In the course of the general exchange of views on the issue, it appeared that the vegetable oils and fats which were proposed to replace cocoa butter in the manufacture of chocolate did not have marketing problems. In addition, cocoa ranked third to petroleum and coffee in ACP exports to the Community. In view of its importance in ACP/EEC trade and in ACP world trade, the ACP and the Community had decided to have regular consultations with a view to harmonising their positions during the negotiations for the renewal of the International Cocoa Agreement in Geneva. The Community's proposed directives contradict the spirit of the Lomé convention.

Council adopted the following recommendations as a first step towards preventing the Community's proposed directives from being implemented :

- that an ACP/EEC Technical Working Group should be established immediately to examine all factors to the draft regulation;

- that the Community should be requested to suspend taking a decision on the matter until effective consultations had taken place and the Working Group had completed its work;

- that the European Parliament, currently examining the issue, should be requested to suspend examination of the proposed regulation until the Working Group had presented its report.

iii. Aflatoxin : proposed Community Directive on lower levels of Aflatoxin in Animal Foodstuffs

Council observed that proposed Community directives aimed at lowering levels of aflatoxin in animal foods hit the most competitive ACP products on the Community market. Such directives would have the effect of further deteriorating ACP trade performance with the EEC thus widening the gap in the deficit in the balance of trade - a trend which the Convention was intended to correct.

In view of the above, Council adopted the recommendations, requesting the Community and the European Parliament to suspend their consideration of the proposed regulation until the consultation process provided for under the Lomé Convention had been satisfactorily concluded. Council agreed to urge the Community, at the joint Ministerial session, to call on its Member States to suspend their national legislation proving for lower levels of aflatoxin, while consultations on the issue were in progress.

iv. Treatment of ACP Fresh Beans in a member State of the community

After consideration of the ban on the import of ACP fresh beans into a Member State of the Community between June and September of every year, Council agreed to recommend at the ACP/EEC Ministerial Session in Luxembourg the setting up of a joint Working Group on the above subject. In addition, the joint Committee of Ambassadors should be mandated to take such decisions and actions as might be recommended by the proposed joint Working Group before the following session of the Council of ACP/EEC Ministers in 1986.

v. USA/EEC Despite on the Question of EEC Tariff Treatment of Citrus Products into the Community from certain countries in the Mediterranean Region.

The ACP Group made a statement, out of caution, at the GATT Council which took place on 12 March 1985, though the Subcommittee on Trade considered the matter and decided that the conclusions of the GATT panel did not seem to have any direct consequences on the preferences accorded to the ACP States under the Lomé convention. However, in view of possible explicit or implicit legal consequences, and after noting the developments regarding the dispute, Council :

- mandated the Committee of Ambassadors to continue to follow very closely future developments on this matter under the GATT in view of the possible repercussions that any decision on this matter could have on the acceptance by the GATT of the Lomé III convention when the latter would be tabled for acceptance.

vi. Stabex

Replenishment of certain Resources Transferred by Virtue of the ACP/EEC convention of Lome signed on 28 February 1975

Council examined the Commission proposal that resources transferred to Congo and Gabon during the 1975 application year under the Lomé I Stabex system be replenished. According to this proposal, Gabon would start replenishment from 1986 and the Congo from 1989.

Council considered that the Commission had arrived at the decision requesting the two ACP countries to replenish without proper consultations between the parties concerned, as provided for under the Lomé Convention. The meeting concluded that the matter should not be placed on the agenda pf the ACP/EEC Council of Ministers until such time as consultations between the Commission and the ACP countries concerned had been finalised with a view to confirming that the conditions necessary for replenishment had been fulfilled.

The use of unused Stabex balances provided for by Lomé II

Council considered that the following should be taken into account in the distribution of unused Stabex balances :

- that losses incurred for the 1980 and 1981 years of application should be compensated, in accordance with the spirit of the decision of the ACP/EEC Council in Libreville in 1982;

- the particular situation of the LDLLICS and the losses sustained due to the method of calculation and currency fluctuation.

Council mandated the Committee of Ambassadors to pursue discussions with the Community on the above and to work out a formula for the distribution. On being informed that the balance at the end of Lomé II likely to be about 100m ECUs Council further agreed to indicate at the Joint Council session that the ACP also considered that the unpaid shortfall of 300m ECUs from 1980 and 1981 was still due to them.

Products which could be eligible for Stabex Transfers :

Exports to all destinations

Council noted that twelve ACP countries had made requests for derogation under Article 150 (3) to the Community and that the Commission had reached its conclusions on these requests without respecting the procedures which include notably joint research and proper consultations. As a result, council decided to bring the following to the attention of the EEC side at the Joint Council meeting :

- that the ACP considered that the Commission had violated the procedures in failing to arrive at an agreement with the interested ACP countries before adopting its position regarding the said requests;

- that as far as the ACP were concerned the Commission's decision concerning seven ACP countries was null and void and that consultations should be pursued on the basis of procedures provided for by the Convention.

vii. Sysmin

The meeting referred to the discriminatory manner in which the Community treated the Sysmin Scheme. It also noted the lack of clear-cut procedures for the preparation of the first dossier which contains technical specification.

With regard to the use of unused balances of the Sysmin scheme under Lomé II, the meeting recalled decision N° 4/84 of the 37^th Session of council held in Lomé in December 1984 which specifically stipulates that "the balance of Sysmin funds shall be used for the benefit of ACP States by transferring the funds to the Lomé Convention under Sysmin".

Council agreed to propose to the Community the establishment of a joint Working Panel of experts on the simplification and rationalisation of the disbursement procedures of the scheme (see amendment to Joint Declaration on the Management of Sysmin, Annex XXIII of Lomé III). In addition, the issue of Sysmin should be included in the agenda of Joint Council. Meanwhile the Committee of Ambassadors was mandated to study the issue of the simplification of the disbursement procedures with a view to establishing a rationalised method.

viii. Protocols

Bananas : Council was informed that there were indications that there might be attempt to divert Nicaraguan bananas to the Community markets at prices which undercut existing market levels, as a result of the USA embargo on the import of commodities from that country. Council agree to express its concern during the Joint Council meeting, without prejudice to the Group's solidarity with Nicaragua.

Sugar : Council reaffirmed its opposition to the Commission's linkage of the ACP guaranteed price to the EEC intervention price. If this linkage were maintained in the price to be offered to the ACP, there would be an element of discrimination. Council decided to call upon the Community to engage in real negotiations with the ACP Group as required by the protocol.

ix. Agricultural Cooperation :

Restoration of refunds on Exports of EEC Wheat

Council decided that the Community should be requested at the Joint Council meeting to restore the higher rate of refund of 65 ECUs per tonne on exports of wheat to the ACP countries, while awaiting the review of the modalities as provided for under Lomé III.

Joint Committee on Agricultural Commodities

Under Article 47 of Lomé III

Council delegated powers to the Committee of Ambassadors to set up the Committee on Agricultural Commodities.

x. Industrial Cooperation

Governing Board of the CDI : Council endorsed the proposal to add the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Industrial Cooperation to the six ACP Members of the Board.

Presidency of the Board : Council agreed to propose at the Joint Council meeting that there should be a yearly rotation of the Presidency of the Board between the ACP and EEC.

xi. LDLLICs :

The problem of preferential treatment for LDLLCs was evoked in the context of the use of unused Stabex balances. The meeting urged that the Community should be called upon to commit itself to implementing all the provisions of the Convention conferring on LDLLICs more advantageous treatment.

xii. Financial and Technical Cooperation

Investments : At this stage ACP/EEC Cooperation, the ACP should insist on joint ventures. This would provide the basis for greater participation of ACP nationals and firms in the development process.

xiii. Institutional Matters

Enlargement : After an exchange of views, council reached the following conclusions on this subject :

- that the ACP should indicate to the Europeans that they did not respect the agreement on consultations regarding the accession of Greece to the Treaty of Rome, and with respect to the accession of Spain and Portugal, this agreement should be honoured;

- that the ACP should not limit its negotiations to a few Agricultural Commodities but should include all other products that could be affected by enlargement;

- that there should be insistence on a clear indication of transitional measures;

- that the ACP Secretariat should initiate studies on the implication for ACP exports to the EEC consequent on the accession of Spain and Portugal. In this regard, it would be useful to update the studies already carried out on the subject.

Amendments to Article 225 of the Treaty of Rome

Council was advised that information had been received to the effect that a Member State of the EEC was seeking to amend Article 227 of the Treat of Rome, which, if achieved, would extend the sovereignty of the said EEC Member State over some islands in the Indian Ocean. The amendment sought would equally affect some ACP States in the region.

It was noted that the islands concerned were the subject of resolutions at international forums in which the states concerned were called upon to start bilateral negotiations. Council was duly informed of this development and invited to give its support to the ACP States directly concerned by the said amendment, namely, Madagascar and Mauritius.

Council took note of the above development and accepted the position that called upon the interested parties to start bilateral negotiations on the issue, and decided that the matter should be raised at the Joint Council meeting.

xiv. Situation in South Africa

Council insisted on the Community's direct responsibility regarding the situation in South Africa and the need for the EEC to adopt concrete measures to put an end to apartheid. This position would be conveyed to the EEC side at the Joint Council session.

Council took note of the report of the Committee of Ambassadors.

7. Election of the Secretary General of the ACP Group [ACP/26/0083/85]

Following on its decision taken at the last Council meeting in December 1984 :

- that the election of the Secretary General should be postponed until the next session;

- that for the next election, there would be only two official candidates for the post of Secretary General; namely, Mr Edwin Carrington of Trinidad and Tobago and Mr Saturnin Okabe of the Congo.

Council, finding itself unable to appoint a Secretary General by consensus, proceeded to a new round of voting on the basis of a 2/3 majority. The results of the first round of votes being inconclusive (see table - Round 1) a Contact Group was set up to study ways and means of getting out of the deadlock, on the basis of the two official candidates. The Contact Group comprised the following countries ⁽¹⁾ :

Fiji Congo

Guyana Benin

Trinidad & Tobago Nigeria

Jamaica Senegal

Sao Tome and Principe

The Dean of the Committee of Ambassadors, H. E. El Hajj Seydina O. SY, Ambassador of Senegal, was co-opted to the Group.

After considerable discussion, Council was unable to adopt the package proposed, namely :

- that the post of Deputy Secretary General should be restored;

- that Mr Carrington should be offered the post of Secretary General for one term of office;

- that Mr Okabe should be offered that of Deputy Secretary General, and if he declined, the offer should be made to his country to fill that post with the job profile to be defined by Council. If the Congo declined the post, Council should declare this post vacant and fill it during the Harare Council meeting, after following the normal procedures;

And proceeded to another two rounds of voting which yielded the results indicated in rounds 2 and 3.

Round 1 Round 2Round 3

E. Carrington 37 39 38

S. Okabe 24 24 24

Abstentions 1 - 1

Nil 1 1 1

Totals 63 64⁽²⁾ 64

As neither of the two candidates was able to obtain the 2/3 majority of votes necessary for election to the post of Secretary General of the ACP Group, Council mandated the Bureau to hold further consultations. Following upon these consultations, Council decided that :

- the election of the Secretary General of the ACP should be postponed until the 39^th Ordinary Session scheduled to take place in Harare, Zimbabwe, in October 1985;

- the Committee of Ambassadors should be mandated to work out the modalities of the election for the Secretary General and submit recommendations to Council at its 39^th Ordinary Session;

- Mr Edwin Carrington should be re-appointed as Secretary General an interim until the next session of the Council in Harare, Zimbabwe.

8. Administration and financial Matters

(i) Review of the Current financial situation of the ACP Secretariat[ACP/41/047/85 (Secr), ACP/41/036/85 Rev. 1, ACP/41/035/85 Rev. 3 and ACP/41/049/85]

The president drew the attention of Council to the letter addressed to all ACP States concerning the financial situation of the Secretariat and he appealed to countries to pay their arrears and contributions in order to assist in redressing the difficult financial situation experienced by the Secretariat.

Council then proceeded to have a general exchange of views on the ways and means of finding a long-term solution to the financing of the Secretariat. The discussions were based on the following proposals which the ACP States could use to finance their contributions to the Secretariat, namely;

- deductions from the National Indicative Programmes;

- deduction from the Regional Fund;

- or an exchange arrangement with the Commission whereby the Commission would pay the ACP States' contribution to the Secretariat and that state would pay in its national currency the equivalent sum to the Commission delegation in the country concerned.

After consideration of the above possibilities, council concluded that ACP countries could enter into a bilateral arrangement with the Community based on one of the above options without the ACP having to enter into an agreement binding upon the Group as a whole.

(ii) Draft Budget for the ACP General Secretariat for 1985[ACP/41/019/85 rev.3]

In his presentation of the draft budget for the ACP General Secretariat for 1985, the Chairman of the Committee of Ambassadors pointed out that the draft had been prepared in accordance with the Group's procedures. The budget estimates as contained in ACP/41/019/85 Rev.3 were in keeping with the Council's mandate and directives given at its 37^th Session. The budget did not undergo any structural change and account had been taken of the difficult economic situation of ACP countries in the preparation of the estimates.

In his intervention in the context of the presentation of the draft budget, the Secretary General ad interim told the meeting that the work programme provided detailed information as to the activities to be financed by the budget. The budget, he continued, was prepared under the following conditions :

- the estimates had been prepared in the year of application and as such there were advantages and disadvantages : there was precision but some expenditure had already been incurred;

- there was need for particular attention to Intra-ACP activities as the Group was celebrating its 10^th anniversary.

The Chairman of the Establishment and Finance Subcommittee advised that the Group reflect on the need to change the structure of its budget so as to orient it towards financing more activities rather than devoting the bulk of it to staff emoluments and entitlements.

After the above introductory remarks, council adopted the draft budget for the ACP secretariat for 1985 and noted the accompanying documents listed above. Council thanked the Committee of Ambassadors and the Secretariat for the manner in which the guidelines set by Council had been respected and account taken of the difficult situation faced by the ACP States.

(iii) Classification of New ACP States (St. Christopher and Nevis, Mozambique and Angola) for contribution to the Budget of the ACP Secretariat [ACP/41/043/85 Rev. 1]

Council took the decisions indicated hereunder regarding the classification of the new ACP States listed above for purposes of contribution to the ACP Secretariat :

- that St. Christopher and Nevis be placed in Category A, and that the contributions be payable for the whole budgetary year 1985;

- that Mozambique and Angola be placed in Category C until such time as updated economic statistics made available by each of these two states and examined by the General Secretariat, suggest otherwise. Mozambique's contribution was payable for the whole budgetary year 1985. In view of the fact that Angola had signed the Lomé Convention in April 1985, this country was requested to pay half of its share of contribution for the budgetary year 1985.

In addition to the above, Council mandated the Committee of Ambassadors to review the existing categorisation of the ACP States in the light of the current economic situation of each Member States.

(iv) Report on State of Progress of :

Proposals for Restructuring of the ACP General Secretariat

Council had previously noted progress made in this exercise in the context of the consideration of the report of the Committee of Ambassadors on its activities to the 38^th Session of the Council of Ministers. Council called upon the Committee to expedite work on the restructuring exercise in view of the 39^th Ordinary Session to be held in Harare, Zimbabwe, in October 1985.

Review of the Conditions of Service of the Staff of the General Secretariat

Council adopted the proposals to readjust the salaries of the staff of the ACP General Secretariat and the method of payment as set out in document ACP/40/034/85 Rev. 1, as a first step in the review of the conditions of service of the said staff. It was understood that the rest of the work on the conditions of service would be finalized in time for consideration and adoption in Harare at the 39^th Session of Council. Council further noted the progress made in the review of the conditions of service of the staff of the Secretariat.

9. The Situation in Southern Africa

The exchange of views was prefaced by a presentation by the Head of delegation of Botswana of the details of the recent attack on that country by the forces of the apartheid regime of South Africa. The Head of the Botswana delegation told the meeting that the violation of the territorial integrity of his country by South African forces had resulted in the slaughter of twelve defenceless victims.

The claim bu South Africa that the attack as directed against the bases of the ANC in Botswana was totally baseless and devoid of truth. In fact, South Africa declined the invitation to identify such bases on Botswana soil. The real reason for the attack was to punish Botswana for helping victims of racial oppression and to break the morale of oppressed people. Botswana, he concluded, would not give up granting refuge to genuine refugees.

This introduction was followed by an exchange of views in the course of which Council heard two declarations : one by the Chairman of the OAU group in Brussels and the other on behalf of the Southern African Region. In addition, a message by the then OAU President-in-Office, H. E. Muwalimu Julius Nyerere, President of Tanzania, was distributed to all delegates.

Furthermore, Council decided to make a declaration at the Joint Council session and to propose to the EEC side a meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Front Line States with their EEC counterparts to examine practical measures to combat apartheid.

10. Drought, famine, desertification and other Disasters in ACP States

Council expressed appreciation for Community assistance in the form of food consignments. However, it was noted that emergency action could not contain the situation created by drought, desertification and famine. An appeal should be made to the Community to give assistance in the form of transport so as to face the problems that were posed by food distribution, particularly with the impending rainy season. In this regard the ACP should take steps to support the initiative of the European Parliament with respect to the Milan Summit. On the situation faced by countries in Africa. To this end Council was urged to adopt and transmit to the Summit of European Heads of State and Government to be held in Milan, a declaration similar to that of the European

Parliament, on the dramatic situation faced by some Africa States and which threatened many more.

11. Examination of the Items on the Draft Agenda for the 10^th Session of the ACP/EEC Council of Ministers [ACP/21/002/85]

Council made the following observations :

Item 4 :

- The formulation of the sub-item on aflatoxin was not suitable, the title should reflect the ACP's concern to maintain higher levels of aflatoxin and a harmonisation of the legislation of all EEC Members States to that effect.

- Mauritius was mandated, on behalf of the ACP, to make a declaration on day-old-chicks.

Sysmin : This scheme should be considered together with the Stabex system.

Sugar : In addition to the question of consultations procedures to be raised at the Joint council meeting, the ACP should also ask for redress as provided for in the Georgetown Resolution, for those countries which had been omitted from the recent re-allocation under Article 7.4 of the protocol. The ACP should made a declaration regarding the Commission's position that its decision on reallocation could not be change by council. This was considered a challenge to the authority of the Joint Council.

Item 8 : Rotation of the Chairmanship of the Board of Governors :

The ACP Group proposed to recommend a system of annual rotation and that the ACP should assume first the chairmanship of the Board.

Item 9 : the ACP should argue that the decision on available Agricultural Products should not be limited to the scope created by the Convention, but should provide the possibility for access on a concessionary basis for new products. To this end it was urged that the subject of import of butter into ACP countries at concessionary prices should be raised at the Joint Council meeting.

Item 12 : The Article 108 Committee : the Authorised Representatives were mandated to elect a Chairman who would make a formal report at the 39^th Session of Council in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Item 17 : The ACP side should insist at the Joint council meeting on the consideration of the report prepared by the Joint Working Party on immigrant workers.

Item 19 : Barbados and Burundi should consult on the subject of the venue of the next Joint Council session scheduled to take place in May/June 1986.

Item 20 : the following work programme was proposed :

Morning : Items 1, 2, 5 and 6

After 11.30 a.m. - Items 16, 10 and 11

Afternoon 3.00 p.m. : Items 13, 3, 7, 8; 9 and the rest of the Agenda.

12. Preparation for the ACP/EEC Ministerial Meeting of the Article 108 committee

Council was unable to consider this item as documentation on the subject was not available during the session.

13. Exchange of views on matters to be Examined at the next Meeting of the Joint Assembly [ACP/23/021/85]

Council was unable to have an exchange of views on the above-mentioned matters owing to time constraints. It, however, noted document ACP/23/021/85.

14. Report of Ministerial Meeting on Sugar

The report of the Ministerial Meeting on Sugar was presented by the head of the Fiji delegation on behalf of the sugar producing countries. The text of his intervention is attached to this report.

15. Preparation for Special Intra-ACP Cooperation Meeting :

(I) The ACP Meeting on Air Transport Services (Paramaribo, Suriname,2 - 6 September 1985) [ACP/87/0067/ Rev.3]

(ii) The 2^nd Special Session of the ACP Council of Ministers on Intra-ACP (Harare, Zimbabwe, 21 - 23 October 1985) [ACP/87/041/84 Rev.3]

Council noted the above agendas and endorsed and preparations by the Committee of Ambassadors for the 2^nd special Session of the ACP council of Ministers on Intra-ACP Cooperation. The ACP President was mandated to discuss EEC assistance for the meeting of Air Transport, particularly regarding financing of participation of top ACP executives in the field.

16. Programme for ACP 10^th Anniversary Celebrations

Council had endorsed the above programme in the context of the consideration and adoption of the report of the Committee of Ambassadors to the 38^th Session of Council.

This was supplemented by an explanation by the Chairman of the Intra-ACP Subcommittee on the Committee of Ambassadors' preparatory work in view of the commemoration of the 10^th Anniversary, both in Brussels and in ACP countries.

17. The "Centre International de civilization Bantou" (CICIBA) Project

After hearing a presentation of the project by the Head of the Gabonese delegation, Council mandated the said head of delegation to make, on behalf of the ACP, a declaration on the CICIBA project at the joint Council Session. Council further mandated the Committee of Ambassadors to study and make recommendations to Council.

18. Application of Angola to be Classified as a Least Developed State[ACP/26/0081/85 Rev. 1]

The Secretariat was asked to study this application in accordance with the guidelines set by the Group regarding this exercise and submit recommendations to Council.

19. Composition of the New Bureau of the Council of ACP Ministers[ACP/573/79 Rev. 9]

The following countries were appointed to represent their regions on the new Ministerial Bureau :

Central Africa Region - Central Africa Republic

East Africa Region - Tanzania

Southern Africa Region - Swaziland

West Africa Region - Gambia

Caribbean Region - Suriname (President)

Pacific Region - Tonga

The meeting endorsed the above appointment by the various regions to the new Bureau of Council.

20. Date and Venue of the next Meeting of the Council of ACP/EEC Ministers

Council proposed that the 39^th Ordinary Session should be held immediately following the 2^nd Special Session on Intra-ACP Cooperation scheduled to take place in Harare, Zimbabwe in October 1985. The Government of Zimbabwe should be informed of this proposal and asked whether it would be willing to host this second meeting.

Regarding the ACP/EEC Council meeting, the Presidents would be duly informed of the outcome of the consultations between the two ACP countries that had expressed the desires to host that Joint Council Session, Barbados and Burundi.

21. Examination of the Draft Decisions and Resolutions of the 38^th Session of the Council of ACP Ministers.

Council mandated the Committee of Ambassadors to consider and adopt the draft decisions and resolutions of the 38^th Session of the Council of ACP Ministers.

22. Any Other Business

The President of Council thanked all delegation for this useful contribution to the deliberations of Council. He equally expressed gratitude to the Secretariat for providing supporting services to Council and for assisting in organising various meeting. In conclusion, he wished all delegates a safe return to their various countries.

1. The President of Council advised that the list was indicative.

2. Arrival of a delegation during the second round of voting.