RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE S/L/35*
26February 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-0830)
Council forTrade inServices Original: English
BASIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS -VERIFICATION OFSCHEDULES
Communication from Japan
Thedelegation ofJapan hasrequested thattheattached communication totheSecretariat about
theverification1ofschedules andMFN exemption listsresulting from thebasic telecommunication
negotiations should becirculated fortheinformation ofMembers.
./.
*Thisdocument cancels andreplaces thedocument dated 26February 1997.
1TheSecretariat isabout toissue ashort noteontheverification process proposing thataonedayinformal
meeting forthispurpose should takeplace onFriday, 14March 1997.S/L/35
Page2
MISSION PERMANENTE DUJAPON
AUPRES DES ORGANISATIONS INTERNATIONALES
GENEVE-SUISSE
Geneva, 26February 1997
Dear Mr.Hartridge,
Firstofall,Iwould liketothank youonbehalf oftheJapanese Delegation fortheefforts by
yourself andyour colleagues towards thesuccessful conclusion ofthenegotiations onbasic
telecommunications.
Upon instruction frommyauthorities, Iwould liketorequest theverification process nowunder
waytobeaccelerated. InJapan, theFourth Protocol totheGATS must beratified bytheJapanese
Diet. Theordinary session oftheDiethasalready started andisscheduled toendon18June. Unless
Tokyo canreceive thecertified copyoftheProtocol (including theSchedules ofSpecific Commitments
andtheLists ofArticle IIExemptions ofallMembers concerned) bytheendofMarch, ratification
during thecurrent session willbecome practically impossible. Since thecurrent session maybethe
finalonethisyear, missing theabove-mentioned deadline willmean thattheability forJapan tomeet
thedeadline of30November 1997 willbecome uncertain.
Iwould liketothank youforyourunderstanding onthematter andwould alsoappreciate it
ifthepresent communication could bedistributed toallMembers concerned.
Yours sincerely,
JunYOKOTA
Minister