RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE S/NGMTS/17
1July1996
ORGANIZATION
(96-2599)
Negotiating Group onMaritime Transport Services
NOTE ONTHE MEETING OF28JUNE 1996
1. Thesixteenth meeting oftheNegotiating Group onMaritime Transport Services tookplace
on28June1996.
2. TheChairmanpresentedadraftReportoftheNegotiatingGrouponMaritimeTransportServices
andadraftDecisiononMaritimeTransportServicestotheGroup.JapanandtheUnitedStatessuggested
certain minor modifications tothedraftReport which wereagreed. Venezuela asked forandreceived
clarification ofcertain elements ofthedraft Decision, inparticular, paragraph 6,pertaining toa
Member 'srighttoimprove, modify orwithdraw allorpartofitscommitments attheendoftheresumed
negotiations. Chile stated thatitwaswilling toaccept theDecision provided itwasunderstood that
theagreement toresume onthebasis ofexisting orimproved offers, stated inparagraph 1,didnot
impose anylegalobligations onparticipants. TheChairman confirmed thatnolegalobligations were
imposed. TheGroup adopted theReport (S/NGMTS/16) andagreed toforward thedraftDecision
(S/C/W/15) totheCouncil forTrade inServices foradoption.
3. During thecourse ofthemeeting, India submitted itsconditional offerandThailand indicated
inawritten communication thatitwaswithdrawing itsconditional offer.