Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, The American Republics, Volume VIII

611.3731/12–3147

The Acting Secretary of State to President Truman

Washington, December 31, 1947.

My Dear Mr. President: On December 17, 1947 the Protocol for the Provisional Application of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, concluded at Geneva on October 30, 1947,⁴⁰ was signed on behalf of the Cuban Government, and a few days later an agreement was reached between this Government and the Government of Cuba that the exclusive supplementary agreement concluded by the two governments at Geneva shall be applied on January 1, 1948.⁴¹ Because of the particular language of the Trade Agreements Act relating to the modification of the preferential treatment of Cuban products imported into the United States, it has been considered desirable to proclaim this exclusive supplementary agreement with Cuba as a separate trade agreement. This agreement continues preferential treatment for some of the most important imports from Cuba, and eliminates the preference on numerous other products which are in most cases of little or no importance to Cuba.

There is enclosed for your signature, if you approve, a draft proclamation carrying out this exclusive trade agreement as from January 1, 1948.⁴²

Faithfully yours,

Robert A. Lovett

40. For the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, with annexes and schedules and protocol of provisional application, concluded at Geneva, October 30, 1947, see TIAS No. 1700, or 61 Stat. (pts. 5 and 6). For documentation on this subject, see volume i .
41. For exclusive agreement supplementary to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, exchanges of notes and memoranda, signed at Geneva October 30, 1947, and supplementary exchange of notes signed at Washington December 19 and 22, 1947, see TIAS No. 1703, or 61 Stat. (pt. 4) 3699.

42. For the President’s Proclamation of December 16, 1947, putting into effect the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade as of January 1, 1948, see Department of State Bulletin, December 28, 1947, pp. 12–58.

    The President issued on January 1, 1948, a proclamation putting into effect as of January 1, 1948, the provisions of the exclusive agreement, signed by the United States and Cuba on October 30, 1947, supplementary to the general agreement on tariffs and trade signed at Geneva on the same date (see statement in Department of State Bulletin, January 11, 1948, p. 60).