. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/L/350
6 March 2000
(00-0829)
Council for Trade in Goods
5 April 2000Original:  English
SRI LANKA – ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW SCHEDULE VI
Request for Extension of Time-Limit
The following communication, dated 23 February 2000, has been received from the Permanent
Mission of Sri Lanka.
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I refer to the fax of 16 February 2000, on the above subject.
I have been instructed by my authorities in Sr i Lanka to furnish the following information with
regard to Sri Lanka's request for extension of time-limit for the current waiver, which expires on30 April 2000.
1. Date of original waiver:  8 November 1988.2. Date of submission of document relevant to the HS implementation:  12 January 1990.
3. Number of extensions and dates when granted:   twenty extensions, as follows:  24/07/89;
16/07/90;  07/12/90;  01/07/91;  04/12/91;  20/07/92;  03/12/92;  19/07/93;  17/01/94;
21/07/94;  09/12/94; 31/08/95; 13/12/95; 18 /07/96; 16/07/97; 22/10/97; 30/04/98; 14/10/98;
15.06.99 (granted with retroactive effect 30.04.99), and 04/11/99.
4. Number of countries with which Article XXVIII negotiations have been initiated: Five
(Australia, European Union, New Zeala nd, South Africa and the United States).
5. Number of countries with which Article XXVIII negotiations  have been concluded: Two.
6. Status of outstanding Article XXVIII negotiations as well as a general outline of relevant
problems, if any:
Sri Lanka continues to make every effort to conclude negotiations under Article XXVIII.
Following its most recent initiatives with two countries, Sri Lanka concluded negotiations
with New Zealand and, clarification and finalization of documents now remains to beformally completed, with Australia.
7. Outlook for concluding the process:
Sri Lanka has sought clarifica tion on the status of reservation made by the remaining two
countries in respect of Sri Lanka's Schedul e and formal communications from these two
countries are awaited.  Hence, to conclude these negotiations, if any, and to conclude formalitiesG/L/350
Page 2
with all concerned trading partners, Sri Lanka may require at least one more extension of time.
The Government of Sri Lanka, therefore, will be deeply appreciative of a further extension of
six months to conclude the outstanding negotia tions.  The Government of Sri Lanka assures its
trading partners in these negotiations that every effort will be made to conclude the negotiations
satisfactorily and in the mutual interest of all concerned as soon as possible.
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