UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2691
OF 281134Z AUGUST 91
UNCLASSIFIED
M113090
F
29
042174
MDHIAN 0360
TOP COPY Q DIST?
भी
INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG, PEKING, SEOUL
76
MY SECOND IPT: APEC/HONG KONG: HONG KONG PRESS STATEMENT.
1. MR T.H. CHAU, THE SECRETARY OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY, WELCOMED THE ANNOUNCEMENT MADE BY APEC SENIOR OFFICIALS IN KOREA TODAY THAT THEY WILL RECOMMEND TO THEIR MINISTERS THAT HONG KONG, TOGETHER WITH CHINA AND TAIWAN, SHOULD BE ADMITTED INTO APEC AND INVITED TO PARTICIPATE AT THE THIRD APEC MINISTERIAL MEETING TO BE HELD IN SEOUL IN NOVEMBER THIS YEAR.
2. ''THIS IS VERY ENCOURAGING NEWS'' MR CHAU ADDED. ''HONG KONG STANDS READY TO PARTICIPATE FULLY IN ALL APEC MEETINGS AND ACTIVITIES. AS AN ECONOMY WITH STRONG AND INCREASING ECONOMIC AND TRADE TIES IN THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION, HONG KONG IS WELL PLACED TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DELIBERATIONS OF APEC''
3. MR CHAU ACKNOWLEDGED THE IMPORTANT PART PLAYED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA, ACTING IN THE CAPACITY OF THE HOST OF THIS YEAR'S APEC MINISTERIAL MEETING, IN BRINGING ABOUT THIS SATISFACTORY OUTCOME. ''I AM PARTICULARLY GRATEFUL TO AMBASSADOR LEE SEE-YOUNG, ASSISTANT MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE KOREAN GOVERNMENT, FOR THE GREAT SKILL AND PATIENCE WITH WHICH HE ACHIEVED THIS IMPORTANT RESULT''.
4. APEC IS AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL FORUM TO:
(A) HELP STRENGTHEN THE MULTILATERAL TRADING SYSTEM:
(B) PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASSESS PROSPECTS FOR, AND OBSTACLES TO, INCREASED TRADE AND INVESTMENT FLOWS WITHIN THE ASIA PACIFIC
REGION: AND
(C) IDENTIFY THE RANGE OF PRACTICAL COMMON ECONOMIC INTERESTS.
5. THE EXISTING PARTICIPANTS COMPRISE USA, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, JAPAN, SOUTH KOREA AND THE ASEAN COUNTRIES.