FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1974.
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HONG KONG TRADE TALKS IN LONDON
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THE DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, MR. DAVID JORDAN, LEFT FOR LONDON TONIGHT (FRIDAY) TO HOLD DISCUSSIONS ON TRADE MATTERS WITH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT.
HIS VISIT MARKS THE THIRD OF A SERIES OF INFORMAL MEETINGS WITH OFFICIALS IN THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE AND THE DEPARTMENTS OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY. THE AIM OF THE MEETING IS
TO EXCHANGE VIEWS AND IDEAS ON TRADE MATTERS THAT ARE OF PARTICULAR CONCERN TO HONG KONG.
THE MAIN SUBJECTS FOR DISCUSSION ARE HONG KONG'S STATUS IN THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY'S GENERALISED PREFERENCE SCHEME AND RESTRAINT ARRANGEMENTS COVERING HONG KONG'S TEXTILE EXPORTS TO THE EEC.
MR. JORDAN WAS ACCOMPANIED BY MR. LAWRENCE MILLS, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY.
THEY WILL BE JOINED FOR THE TALKS IN LONDON BY HONG KONG REPRESENTATIVES IN EUROPE - MR. BILL DORWARD AND MR. GERRY PEARSON (GENEVA AND MR. CLAUDE BURGESS AND MR. PAT DODGE (BRUSSELS).
MR. BURGESS, A FORMER COLONIAL SECRETARY IN HONG KONG, IS A NEW ADDITION TO HONG KONG'S OVERSEAS STAFF. HE HAS BEEN APPOINTED MINISTER FOR HONG KONG COMMERCIAL AFFAIRS IN BRUSSELS IN ORDER TO STRENGTHEN HONG KONG'S REPRESENTATION IN THE EEC.
ALSO AT THE TALKS WILL BE OFFICIALS FROM THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE IN LONDON, INCLUDING MR. TEDDY KIDD, THE HONG KONG COMMISSIONER.
A COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT, IN ADDITION TO TRADE TALKS WITH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, THE MEETING IN LONDON PROVIDED A USEFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR MR. JORDAN TO GET TOGETHER WITH HONG KONG'S RESIDENT STAFF IN EUROPE.
+ALTHOUGH WE MAINTAIN CONSTANT CONTACT THROUGH TELEGRAM EXCHANGES, THE CHANCE TO MEET AS A GROUP DOES NOT ARISE VERY OFTEN AND FULL ADVANTAGE WILL BE TAKEN OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS MATTERS OF MUTUAL INTEREST.+ THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.
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