§ Mr. MansTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current state of negotiations on a new international coffee agreement.
§ Mrs ChalkerThe international coffee agreement (1983) expires on 30 September 1989. Intensive discussions have taken place since mid-1988 but have failed to result in a consensus on the content of a new agreement. On 3 July the International Coffee Council will consider two draft resolutions for extension with economic provisions. If neither resolution obtains the required majority, the Council may adopt a resolution providing for the 1983 agreement to be extended without economic provisions. With its Community partners the United Kingdom has supported the principle of extension of the 1983 agreement as part of a transition to a new agreement.
It has been the practice to lay the text of any agreed resolution for extension of an international commodity agreement before Parliament for 21 sitting days before the United Kingdom deposits an instrument of acceptance with the United Nations. Given the parliamentary recess, there will not be 21 sitting days between 3 July and 1 October. We cannot wait until Parliament sits again in the autumn, because under the terms of article 68 of the current ICA, contracting parties who have not notified the United Nations of their acceptance by 1 October 1989 will cease to be members of the ICA.
I have therefore decided to place in the Library of the House today copies of the two draft resolutions to be considered by the Council on 3 July. Once the final text of the Council resolution is known, I will ensure that it is laid before Parliament for as much of the usual 21-day period as possible.