text: 8. The Governrrent of the State of Qatar considers that restriction of the special treatment arising from the existence of a customs union or a similar association to the members of such union or association and the non-applicability of the nost-favoured-nation clause in respect of such Ereatment is a natter that has long since been decided by internat.ional custom and State practice., The custom in that area has been codified, for exarnple, in article 24 of Ehe General Agreement onTariffs and Trade (GATT) and in the decisions of the Institute of International'Lar,tadopted at its Edinburgh session in 1969. 9. lile therefore Propose that there be added to the draft an article providing for an exception to its provisions in favour of States members of custorus unions andthe like, so that the special treatment agreed u1rcn between the States mernbers of a union does not extend to any third State that is not a nember thereof, even where a t,reaty containing the most-favoured-nation clause exists between such State and a State member of the union. /...2.A/ 40 / 444 Engl ish Page 8 10. Ihe view thus expressed prompts us to make an objective observation on draft article 17, which provides thaE the acquisition of rights by the beneficiary StaEe under a most-favoured-nation clause is not affecEed by the fact Ehat the treatment by Ehe granting State of a third State is provided under a bilateral ormultilateral agreement. We would observe that, in spite of Ehe Comnissionrs decision not to adopt a position on the guestion of customs unions, draftarticle 17 opens the door wide to t,he enjoyment by States that are not members of a customs union of all the advantages of the union that are supposed to be restrictedto members, because any customs union or sinilar economic association is,
analysis: The text appears to be discussing international trade agreements, customs unions, and the treatment of member states, which suggests that it is related to the field of international economic relations. The mention of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the concept of the most-favoured-nation clause further supports this hypothesis.