CELEX: 51976PC0430
Language: en
Date: 1976-07-29 00:00:00
Title: RECOMMENDATION FOR A COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) concluding the Agreement between the EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY and the REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA on Trade in Textile products (submitted to the Council by the Commission)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (76) 430
Vol. 1976/0129
 ---pagebreak--- Disclaimer
Conformément au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983,
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003
(JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p. 1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents
classifiés présents dans ce dossier ont été déclassifiés conformément à l'article 5 dudit
règlement.
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983
concerning the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Economic
Community and the European Atomic Energy Community (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243,
27.9.2003, p. 1), this file is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this
file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation.
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom 1.
Februar 1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgemeinschaft (ABI. L 43 vom 15.2.1983,
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. September 2003
(ABI. L 243 vom 27.9.2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit
erforderlich, wurden die Verschlusssachen in dieser Datei in Übereinstimmung mit Artikel 5
der genannten Verordnung freigegeben.
 ---pagebreak--- COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                              COM(76)430 final.
                                              Brussels , 29 July 1976 .
                         RECOMMENDATION FOR A
                       COUNCIL REGULATION ( EEC )
                concluding the Agreement between the
                    EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY
                                                   i
                                and the
                        REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA
                                                       I
                   on Trade in Textile products
             ( submitted to the Council "by the Commission)
C0M(76 ) 430 final
 ---pagebreak---                        EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
 1.      By a decision of 1b March 1975 » the Council authorised the Com­
mission to open negotiations with the Republic of Colombia for the
 conclusion of an Agreement on trade in textile products .
 2.      In accordance with the above Council decision and in consul­
 tation with the Article 113 Committee , the Commission conducted nego­
 tiations with Colombia in the months of January , February and April 1976 .
 As a result of these negotiations , a draft Agreement was drawn up and
 initialled on 29 April 1976 .
 3.      The draft Agreement applies to a limited number of textile pro­
ducts described in its Annex I. The Community has undertaken , for these
products , not to introduce new quantitative restrictions and to refrain
from invoking the provisions of Article 3 of the MFA , provided that ex­
ports to the Community of the products in question do not exceed the
quantitative limits established under the Agreement *
*+.     The central feature of the Agreement consists of a consultation
procedure . Apart from a general provision for consultations to resolve
any problems arising from the application of the Agreement , the Agreement
also contains a special        consultation clause . Under this clause , the
Community may seek consultations with Colombia whenever , for a product
covered by the Agreement , a real risk of market disruption is caused
by Colombian exports of the product in question . Until a mutually satis­
factory conclusion has been reached in such consultations , Colombia will
limit its issue of export licences for the product concerned to a level
indicated by the Community , but in any case not lower than 107 % of the
importe recorded in the twelve months ending three months before consul­
tation were requested .
5»      The Community invoked the provisions of this clause , as it were
by anticipation , regarding imports r of several products in certain Commu­
nity markets . As a result of these consultations Colombia accepted cer­
tain export restraints , set out in Annex I to the Agreement .
6.      The Agreement further provides that imports into the Community
of textiles products covered by the Agreement which are for immediate
re-export or for re-export after processing are not to be subject to
quantitative limits under the Agreement . Similarly , certain Colombian
handloom textile products , defined in Article of the Agrement , are
to be admitted into the Community without quantitative limit , subject
to the satisfactory operation of agreed arrangements for certification .
7«      In conformity with the requirements of the Geneva Arrangement ,
provision is. made in the Agreement for carry– over , carry– forward and
inter-category flexibility .
 ---pagebreak--- 3,      The Agreement is to enter into force with effect from
V Janus i' / l 376 . It will remain in force until 31 December 1977 .
9.      In the opinion of the Commission the Agreement negotiated
constitutes a result that is acceptable to the Community ,        Prf-_ _
poses therefore that the Council concludes the Agreement by adopting
the draft Regulation annexed hereto .
 ---pagebreak---                          recommendation for a
                      COUNCIL REGULATION ( EEC ) No
                               of
      concluding the Agreement between the European Economic Community
          and the Republic of Colombia on trade in textile products
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community ,
and in particular Article 113 thereof ,
Having regard to the recommendation from the Commission ,
Whereas the Agreement on trade in textile products negotiated bet', 'pen
the European Economic Community and the Republic of Colombia should be
concluded ,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION :
                                 Article 1
       The Agreement between the European Economic Community and the
Republic of Colombia on trade in textile products is hereby concluded
on behalf of the Community .
       The text of the Agreement is annexed to this Regulation .
                                 Article 2
       The President of the Council shall notify the other Contracting
Party of the completion by the Community of the procedures squired for
the entry into force of the Agreement.
                                 Article 3
       This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day following
its publication in the Official Journal of the European Cormunities .
         This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly
         applicable in all Member States .
         Done at Brussels ,          1976            For the Council
                                                     The President
 ---pagebreak--- AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF
          COLOMBIA
              AND THE
   EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY
       ON TRADE IN TEXTILES <
   ( Text as initialled 29«^»197o )
 ---pagebreak---   The Council of the European Communities
                              of the one part .
  The Government of the Republic of Colombia of the other part ,
 -Desiring to ensure the orderly and equitable developmer * of trade
  in textiles between the European Economic Community, hereinafter
  called "the "Community" and Colombia,
  Having regard to the provisions of the Arrangement regarding
" International Trade in Textiles (hereinafter referred to as the
  Geneva Arrangement ) and especially its Article 4 ,
  Have decided, in a spirit of mutual co-operation and in conformity
 with the said Geneva Arrangement , to conclude this Agreement and
  to this end have designated as their Plenipotentiaries :
 THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES :
 THE GOVERNMENT OP THE REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA :
 Who have agreed as follows :
                                                        C'?
                                                        •VvLO-
                                                        ■U
 ---pagebreak---                           Article 1
 1„      Tae Parties recognise and confirm vthat , subject to the
 pr^vi.ii'na cf this Agreement and without prejudice to their rights
 and obligations under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade ,
 the conduct of their mutual trade in textiles shall be governed
 by the provisions of the Geneva Arrangement .
 2*      This Agreement shall apply to trade in those categories of
 textiles products , originating in and despatched from Colombia ,
 set out in Annex I hereto •
3*      Quantitative limits for the said products have been agreed
between the Parties . Details of the quantities and regions of the
Community to which such limits presently apply are likewise set out
in Annex I hereto . Both Parties recognise that the quantitative
limits agreed in the present negotiations are without prejudice
to the possible future application of Article 5 of this Agreement *
 ---pagebreak---                      Article 2
1.     The Community undertakes , in respect of the oeterorieB of
textiles products to which this Agreement applies , and subject to
the satisfactory operation of this Agreement ,      +<•> 'introduce
new quantitative restrictions and to refrain fron? invoKix..^ the
provisions of Article 3 of the Geneva Arrangement provided that
exports to the Community of such textiles products ori.;.;j.na»../fg in
ahd despatched from Colombia do not exceed t.'>e quant it " : . ve
limitB established under the provisions of this Agre^m " it -,
2.     The Government of Colombia undertakes to take the
appropriate measures to ensure that the quantitative limits
established under this Agreement are not exccsded .
3.     The Community shall not object to the aforementioned
quantitative limits being exceeded in this event of additional
demand developing on the market of the Community , on the under­
 standing that any additional quantities       shall be fixed by
 common agreement between both Parties .
 k.    Both Parties undertake to cooperate in imnletnenting the
measures necessary for the purpose of this Article .
                                        \
                                                                 M
 ---pagebreak---                         Article 3
 1.      Imports into the Community of those textile products
 to which this Agreement applies which are for immediate re-export
or for inward processing and subsequent re-export outside the
 Community shall not be subject to quantitative limits established
under this Agreement , provided they are entered as such under an
administrative system of control in force for this purpose within
the Community .
2.      In any case where Community authorities ascertain that imports
described in paragraph 1 above have been retained for consumption
within the Community, the latter will notify the Government of
Colombia on a quarterly basis of the amounts involved . Colombia
shall in such cases and at the request of the Community, charge
such amounts against the quantitative . limit or limits in question
for the current Agreement year or for the next following Agreement
year .
                                                ι
3.      In any case where the competent authorities within the
Community ascertain under an administrative system of control in
force that imports of textiles products to which this Agreement
applies have been charged against quantitative limits established
under this Agreement but subsequently re-exported outside the
Community, the competent authority concerned will inform the Colombian
authorities of the quantities involved and authorise imports of
the same quantities which shall not be charged to the quantitative-^
 limits under the Agreement .                                    \^./f •'
 ---pagebreak---                      Article 4
 1.     The following Colombian textiles products shall , subject to
the conditions indicated hereafter , be admitted into the Community
without quantitative limit :
     (i )    cotton handloom fabrics of cottage industry, containing
             not more than 5% by weight of man-made fibres , being
             fe.brics which are both traditionally of the ki>->d woven
             on a loom and actually woven on a loorn for which the motive
             power is provided entirely by the operators ( that is where
             the three primary movements of weaving, namely sh ?dding,
             picking and beating , are induced by hand or foot and no
             other source of power is used ):
                                                 <
     ( ii )  goods made up by the cottage industry from such cotton handloom
             fabrics ;
     ( iii ) traditional Colombian folklore handicraft textiles products
             cut , sewn or otherwise fabricated by hand in cottages which
             are units of the cottage industry .
2.      Admission into the Community of these products without quantitative
limit shall be eubject to the satisfactory operation of agreed arrange­
ments for certification .                                              ^
                                                                M
 ---pagebreak---                              Article 5
1.       Both Parties agree to enter promptly into " consultations with
each other , at the request of either and in conformity with the pro­
visions' of the Geneva Arrangement , on any matter concerning their
trade in textiles and in particular on any problems arising from the
application of this Agreement . Consultations held under the provision
of this Article shall be approached by both Parties in a spirit of
compromise and with a view to the conciliation of differences existin
betweefi them *
2.       In view of the desire of the Community and Colombia to avoid ,
on one hand , real risks of market disruption and , on the other hand ,
disruption to the textile trade of Colombia , and having full regard
to the need for equitable treatment of participating countries in the
Geneva Arrangement , the following specific consultation procedure
shall apply to .the products set out in Annex I of this Agreement *
3.       The Community may request consultations with a view to reachii
agreement on an appropriate level of restraint , . where such does not
already exist , for any product set out in Annex I whenever in the vit
of the Community , conditions in any of its markets are 6uch that a
limitation on further trade in any such product may be necessary to e
minate real risks of market disruption ( as defined in Annex A of the
Geneva Arrangement ), The consultation procedure referred to in this
paragraph will only be resorted to sparingly and will be implemented
in a manner consistent with the principles and objectives of the
Geneva Arrangement .                         4
   .   ■ The request for such a consultation shall be accompanied with
a reasonable period of time , by a statement of * he market conditions
in the Community which , in the opinion of the CcumuTiity , make necess
the request for consultations *
5«       Until such time as a mutually satisfac' ; ry solution has been
reached , Colombia undertakes if so requested by the Community , toil
                                                                   ,i'Ù
 ---pagebreak---                               Article 6
      If , having regard to the provisions of the Geneva Arrangement ,
Colombia considers that as a result of the q-v ,.+■•; + «at-i -r e limi *--
established under this Agreement , it is being placed in               inequitable
position as compared with a third country , Colombia may request consul­
tations with the Community with a view to taking appropriate action
consistent with both Parties' international rights and obligations .
 ---pagebreak---                             Artide   7
1.     Portions of any quantitative limit established urder this
Agreement which are not used during any Agreement rear <a-*y be carried
over and added to the corresponding quantitative limit in th8 .following
Agreement year , within a limit of 10 % of the li- iite:- '-
2.     Within a limit of 10 % of each of the quantitative Units es­
tablished under this Agreement , advance deliveries shall be authorised
from the corresponding quantitative limit established for the following
Agreement year .
3.     Within any one Agreement year , unused portions of quantitative
limits established under this Agreement in reepect of any region of'
the Community market may be transferred to another quantitative limit
established f6r that same' region of the Community market within a
ceiling of 7 % of the recipient quantitative limit .
k,     The preceding flexibility provisions shall not , in any given
Agreement year , result in a quantitative limit for any category being
exceeded by more that 20 $ of the quantitative limit for that category
for that Agreement year .
5»     The flexibility provisions contained in this Article may only ,
be applied by Colombia following written notification to the Community
by the Colombian authorities .
                                                             ./y
 ---pagebreak---                            Article 8
       Colombia shall endeavour to ensure that exports of all tex­
tiles products for which quantitative limits may be established
under this Agreement are spaced out as evenly as possible over each
of the Agreement years , due account being taken , in particular , of
seasonal factors *                                             "/
                                                         βχ
 ---pagebreak---                                1
                         Article 9
       The two Parties agree to exchange all useful information
concerning their mutual trade in textiles in order Co ensure ^
the successful implementation of this Agreement .
 ---pagebreak---                           Article   10
1*      The Parties agree that the quantitative liiri fcs estate i nh e d
under this Agreement shall be managed under a system of double con­
trol , the details of which are set out in Annex IX to this Agreement ,
2. '    Colombia therefore agrees to furnish the Community vith pre­
cise statistical information , on a quarterly basis , of all export
licences issued by the authorities of Colombia for all cate­
gories of textile exports to the Community to vhich this Agreement
applies .
3.      The Community will likewise forward to the authorities of
Colombia , on a quarterly basis , precise statistical information^-–^
of imports of such products into the Community .
                                                ;             /K
 ---pagebreak---                           Article 11
1.     Both parties shall take all possible measures tc ensure that
traditional channels and methods of trade between the Community and
Colombia are maintained *
2.     Should the Community inform Colombia thnt the application of
thi6 Agreement " has given rise to difficulties regarding the main­
tenance of existing commercial relations between importers in the
Community and their suppliers in Colombia , the Parties agree to
consult together in accordance with the procedures set out in
Article 5 » paragraph 1 .
 ---pagebreak---                        Article 12
      This Agreement shall apply to the territories vhere the
reaty establishing the European Economic Community applies , on the
onditions established in the said Treaty ^ and to the territories
f the Republic of Colombia .                  •           . 4V
                                                      / I
 ---pagebreak---                         Article 13
1.     This Agreement shall enter xnto force on tru            da ; of
the month following the date on which the Contracting "Partite have
notified each other of the completion of the procedure          essary
for the purpose . It shall remain in force until       Dec , bsr 1977 .
                                                                •  /
2®     This Agreement shall have effect from 1 January 19 "7".
3.     Either Party may at any time propose ^■•■• difica^i-ms to this
Agreement or denounce it provided that notice is given at least
120 days before the expiry of any twelve-month period ; in the latter
event the Agreement will come to an end at the expiry of the said
twelve-month period .
If .   The Annexes to this Agreement shall form an integral paj^t-^
thereof .                                                            /
                                       \
 ---pagebreak---                              Article 14
     This Agreement shall be drawn up in two copies in the Danish ,
Dutch , Eaglish , French , German , Italian and Spanish languages , each
of these texts being equally authentic .                               )
 ---pagebreak---     1.       Colombia shall limit exports of the products listed below to the
    regions of the Community market and to the quantitative limits , indicated .
                         Products covered             Community region        Annual Qurntity
. T. Headzng                                                                  ( ia metric tormos
                                                      to which restric­
  No .                                                                        unless ctherv:eise
                                                      tion is applied
                                                                              6hovn )
                                                                               1 9?J         1977.
                    Cotton yarns not put up                 BNL             1,000          1,070
 > Ç-05
                    for retail sale                           I             2 , 600        2,782
55.09               Woven fabrics of cotton :
                     - unbleached or bleached                                 1,9b0         2,119
55.09                Woven fabrics of cotton :
                     - other than unbleached or              BNL            .    500           535
                        bleached                               X              1,050
 55.09                       *■ v
                                   fabrics of cotton         UK ( 1 )   2,050,000      2,193,500
                                                                           squaro metres
 51.04 A              Woven fabrics of u..-,. ^ad e fi­
                      bres ( continuous ) incj.>
                      woven fabrics of monofil o *
                      strip of heading No . 51.01 01
                      5t.02 :
                      Woven fabrics ; of synthetic            UiC                 3C0         ■ 321
                      textile fibres
  56.07 A             Woven fabrics of man-made fi­
                      bres ( discontinuous or waste ):
                      «- of synthetic textile fibres
     2.       Should the quantitative limits referred to above remain in force for
     a further period , or periods , of 12 months , the level for that period shall
     not be lower than the level specified for the preceding 12 months period ,
     increased by not less than 7
     ( 1 ) For the purpose of the application of Article 7 of this Agr <v erne-it in res­
           pect of the quantitative limits provided in this Annex for the United
           Kingdom , an equivalence of 2,500 square metres per metric torme hss been
           agreed between the Parties .
                                                                                      /f ^>
 ---pagebreak--- As agreed between the Parties in Article 10 of the Agreement , the administr -
tion of textiles exports from Colombia and imports into the Coamunity will
be based on a system of double checking . The details of this system have
been agreed between the Parties and c*re se >* out oelow »
The competent authorities within the Community will , automatically and
without delay , accept imports of textile products on submission of the
importer 's application together with a certified copy of the export licence .
The competent authorities within the Community shall be entitled to require
the presentation of an export licence in respect of goods originating in
Colombia of the categories where the provisions of Article 5 have been
invoked .                                                                              . „
                                                                                      (1)
These export licences will be issued by the Colombian authorities                          up
to the total amount of the agreed ceilings .                       ..
The export licences issued by the Colombian authorities shall be appli­
cable to the products subject to restraint under the Agreement .
The export licence must specify :
       1«    destination ( relevant Member State )
       2.    sériai number
       3 . importer 's name and address
             exporter 's name and address
        5. the
             net Agreement
                  weight ( in kilograms or metric tons ) or other units design
        6 . category and description of product
        7. ' certification by the Colombian authorities that t e ^ + ^                        Comrrti
             has been debited against the agreed ceiling for *xp " ~ imir,e diatfc
              nity ( relevant Member State ) or , were                    ' re _ exp0 rt outside
              re-export or for inward-processing and subseq
              the Community
                    omnrntt ï t "V ••
 The competent authorities vithxn the Community Wa ^ t                             the exp0rt
 in the event of a discrepancy between the weight in icaue                                  nabl,r
 licence and the shipment    „
                                      or import weight     provided it is
                                                 t-i OS . for their part , will              ^
                                                                                                 ^
  limits , while the Colombian authorities ,                                                      /
  to keep any discrepancies to a minimum .
                                                de Comercio Exterior)
   ( 1 ) INCOMEX ( Instituto Colomoiano
 ---pagebreak---                                                           ANNEX II       Cont 'd
In the event of total or partial withdrawal of an export licence , the
Colombian authorities will notify the competent author - ties within the
Community of such total or partial withdrawal . The authoiities of the
Member States of the Community will take the appropriate •..-• a© '-.res in
accordance with their existing administrative provision,:; *
The Colombian authorities will forward to the competent authorifci s within
the Community , via the Representations of the Member States     ■' the Commu­
nity and directly to the Commission quarterly returns showily the total
quantity covered by the export licences issued against                     -
the quantitative limits for exports to the Member States of the Comu. unity ,
for all categories of textiles exports to the Community to which this
Agreement applies .
The Community will forward to the authorities of Colombia , on a quarterly
basis , precise statistical information of imports of such products into
the Community .
 ---pagebreak---                                                                       Annex III
                              ooBi and textile handicraft artic ] era
  1 . la accordance with Article 12 ( 3 ) of the Geneva Arrangement , the Community
       and Colombia have agreed , in Article k of the Agreement that , subject to
       certain conditions Colombian exports of certain handloom and textile handi­
       craft products would be admitted into the Community without quantitative
       limit . The conditions eet out in Article k ( 2 ) of the Agreement specifies
       that admission of such products into the Community without quantitative
       liio.it ehall be subject to the satisfactory operation of agreed arrangements
       for certification .
 2 . The Community and Colombia hereby agree that in carrying out the provisions
      of Article 4 of the Agreement the following form of certificate shall be
      used .
      "Certificate in regard to cotton handloom fabrics and products thereof
              Naine and address of manufacturer ,
              Name and address of exporter ,
              Name and address of importer within the Community ,
              Description of goods ,
              Quantity ( metric tons ),
             Name of ship or flight number ,
             Port or airport of destination .
     This is to certify that the above shipment consists of :
     (i)     cotton handloom fabrics of the cottage industry , containing not more
             than 5 % by weight of man-made fibres , being fabrics which are both
             traditionally of the kind woven on handlooms and actually woven on a looi
             for which the motive power is provided entirely by the operators ( that
             is where the three movements of weaving , namely sheddingn picking and
             beating , are induced by hand or foot and no other source of power is
             used ) ;
     ( ii ) goods made up by the cottage industry from such cotton handloom fabrics ;
     ( iii)traditional Colombian folklore handicraft textiles products cut , sewn ,
             or otherwise fabricated by hand in cottages which are units of the
             cottage industry .
                                                                                           it
                                         Signed                                     C ©
3 . The body which shall be authorized to issue the above certificates is
     XNCOMEX. ( Instituto Colombiano de Comercio Exterior )
                                                                                 \ «    ••
                                                                                -■ ■<L'
 ---pagebreak---                                                                   ANNEX IV
                           Exchange of letters
Sir
In concluding the negotiations held between the Government of Coloraoxa
and the European Economic Community which have led this day to the signing
of an Agreement regarding trade in textile products , I have the honour
to confirm the following record of understanding :
     In the view of the Colombian delegation the quantitative limit for
     Italy for woven cotton fabrics other than unbleached. and bleached ( ex 55*09)
     for tho year 1976 as shown . in Annex I , did not take fully into account the
     potential of Colombian exports to this Community market *
     A review may be heldj at the request of Colombia , in order to assess
     the position and to determine , on a mutually agreed basis , whether
     and to what extent an upward revision of the quantitative limit in
     question should be made .
I should be grateful for your confirmation that the above correctly repre­
sents our understanding in the matter .
Please accept , Sir , the assurances of my highest consideration .
                                                         ! '
                                  For the Government of Republic of Colombia
 ---pagebreak--- Sxr
I have the honour to refer to your letter of today 's date in the
following terms :
  " In concluding the negotiations held between the Government of Colombia
  and t^e European Economic Community which have led this' day to the
  signing of an Agreement regarding trade in textile products , I have
  the honour to confirm the following record of understanding :
       In the view of the Colombian delegation the quantitative limit for
       Italy for woven cotton fabrics other "than unbleached and bleached ( ex' 53.09)
       for -the year 1976 as shown in Annex I t did not take fully into account the
       potential of Colombian exports to this Community market *
       A review may be held , at the request of Colombia , in order to assess
       the position and to determine , on a mutually agreed basis , whether and
       to what extent an upward revision of the quantitative limit in ques­
       tion should be made .
  I should be grateful for your confirmation that the above correctly re­
  presents our understanding in the matter ".
I confirm that this correctly sets out our understanding in the matter .
Please accept , Sir , the assurances of my highest consideration .
                                                                            M