611.8331/104
Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. Jacques J. Reinstein of the Division of Trade Agreements
Mr. Rady called by appointment to see Mr. Hawkins2 this afternoon to get information on several matters for his Government. He asked [Page 708] about the concession which the United States granted to Brazil on manganese and was furnished a copy of the Brazilian agreement.3 He was informed that the concession is extended to Egypt. Mr. Rady asked if any further reduction in the manganese duty would be made in the trade agreement with the United Kingdom. He was told that it was impossible to say at the present time exactly what the terms of the agreement would be.
Mr. Rady also asked for any information of a general character which he could transmit to his Government on the negotiations with the United Kingdom.4 He was given copies of the notice of intention to negotiate with the United Kingdom5 and of the list of products on which the United States will consider granting concessions. He was told that the negotiations were progressing, but that in view of the large number of products involved, it was difficult to say when the agreement would be concluded.
At the conclusion of the conversation, Mr. Rady referred to the Egyptian note of July 5, 1938, requesting a duty reduction on long-staple cotton. Mr. Hawkins said that the only way in which the request could be granted would be in connection with a trade agreement and that the possible bases for an agreement were now being studied. Mr. Rady asked whether the bases for such an agreement would be those which had been outlined by the Secretary of State and other officials of the Department in speeches. He was informed that the principle of unconditional most-favored-nation treatment and the other policies which have been referred to in public statements are those upon which our trade agreements are based, and that we would probably wish to discuss them with him in greater detail at some later date.