56 STAT.] HAITI-RECIPROCAL TRADE-FEB . 16, 19, 1942 ment of the United States is aware, there are special and unusual conditions affecting trade between Haiti and the Dominican Republic which arise out of their exceptional geographic situation. With a view to fostering closer economic relations between these two con- tiguous countries, a Treaty of Commerce between Haiti and the Dominican Republic was signed on August 26, 1941. This treaty provides, among other things, for reductions in Haitian customs duties on a specified list of products imported from the Dominican Republic, which reductions are intended to be applicable exclusively to the latter country. In this connection I have the honor to refer to the contractual formula for tariff preferences to contiguous countries recommended by the Inter-American Financial and Economic Advisory Committee. In this recommendation, dated September 18, 1941, the Advisory Committee stated that any such tariff preferences, in order to be an instrument for sound promotion of trade, should be made effective through trade agreements embodying tariff reductions or exemptions; that the parties to such agreements should reserve the right to reduce or eliminate the customs duties on like imports from other countries; and that any such regional tariff preferences should not be permitted to stand in the way of any broad program of economic reconstruction involving the reduction of tariffs and the scaling down or elimination of tariff or other trade preferences with a view to the fullest possible development of international trade on a multilateral, unconditional, most-favored-nation basis. I have the honor to inquire whether the Government of the United States, in the light of the foregoing considerations, will agree not to invoke the provisions of the first paragraph of article VII of the trade agreement, which permit it to claim the benefit of the tariff prefer- ences to the Dominican Republic specifically enumerated in the Treaty of Commerce signed on August 26, 1941, which preferences are considered by my Government to meet the requirements of the aforementioned formula recommended by the Inter-American Finan- cial and Economic Advisory Committee. Accept, Excellency, the renewed assurances of my highest consider- ation. FOMBRUN His Excellency Mr. JOHN CAMPBELL WHITE, E. E. & Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of America, Port-au-Prince. 1417 Reductions in Hai- tian customs duties on certain imports from the Dominican Republic. 49 Stat. 3741. 65714° '- 43-PT. II --- 21
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