Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 61 Part 3.djvu/159

 61 STAT.] TRADE, PHILIPPINES-kay 4, 18, June 10, July 4, 8, 11, 1946 2437 Aug. 15, 26, Sept. 10, Oct. 3, 1946 2 Accept, Excellency, the renewed assurances of my highest consideration. DEAN ACHESON Acting Secretary of State His Excellency Baron ROBERT SILVECRUYS, Belgian Ambassador. The Belgian Ambassador to the Acting Secretary of State AMBASSADE DE BELGIQUE WASHINGTON, July 11th, 1946. Sm, I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of May 4th, by which you kindly advised me that the Government of the United States of America considers that provision for a transitional period for dealing with the special tariff position which the Philippines products have occupied for many years in the United States, is an essential accompaniment to Philippine independence. Accordingly, under the Philippine Trade Act approved April 30, 1946, goods the growth, produce or manufacture of the Philippines, will enter the United States free of duty until 1954, after which they will be subject to gradually and regularly increasing rates of duty or decreasing duty-free quotas until 1974 when general rates will be- come applicable and all preferences will be completely eliminated. Upon instructions received from my Government, I am pleased to advise you that, on behalf of the Belgian-Luxembourg Economic Union, they agree that the most-favoured-nation provisions of the Reciprocal Trade Agreement between the United States of America and the Belgo-Luxembourg Economic Union, signed February 27, 1935, shall not be understood to require during the above mentioned period, the extension to the Economic Union of advantages accorded by the United States of America to the Philippines. Accept, Sir, the renewed assurance of my highest consideration. SILVERCRUYS The Belgian Ambassador The Honorable DEAN ACHESON Acting Secretary of State Washington D. a. The Acting Secretary of State to the Bolivian Ambassador DEPARTMENT OF STATE WASHINGTON May 4 1946 EXCELLENCY: With reference to the forthcoming independence of the Philippines on July 4, 1946, my Government considers that provision for a 95347° -49 I-r. l---11

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