ON
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1975
+ BUT THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS FELT UNABLE TO ACCEPT THESE PROPOSALS, AND INSTEAD, IT DECIDED THAT THE CONSIDERATION OF THE INCLUSION OF TEXTILES FROM HONG KONG WOULD HAVE TO BE DEFERRED AGAIN TO 1976, WHEN THE SCHEME FOR 1977 WOULD BE DRAWN UP,+ MR. JORDAN SAID.
THE FACT THAT THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS FELT UNABLE TO ACCEPT THIS VERY MODEST PROPOSAL WAS AN INDICATION OF THE VERY HEAVY PRESSURE THAT THE TEXTILE AND CLOTHING
JUSTRIES IN EUROPE WERE EXERTING AGAINST IMPORTS, .... JORDAN SAID.
HE ADDED: +WE ARE NATURALLY DISAPPOINTED BY THE COUNCIL'S DECISION AND WE SHALL, IN 1976, CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS TO PERSUADE THE COMMUNITY AND OTHER DONOR COUNTRIES TO REMOVE THE DISCRIMINATION AGAINST HONG KONG IN THEIR PREFERENCES SCHEMES+,
MR. TIEN ALSO ASKED WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT. WOULD RECONSIDER THE DESIRABILITY OF INVITING SOME EEC OFFICIALS TO VISIT HONG KONG WITH A VIEW TO ACQUAINTING THEM WITH THE REAL STATE OF HONG KONG'S TEXTILE INDUSTRY.
MR. JORDAN REPLIED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS STILL IN TOUCH WITH THE EEC COMMISSION ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF ARRANGING FURTHER VISITS BY EEC OFFICIALS.
•HE ADDED: +1 HOPE THAT WE SHALL BE ABLE TO ARRANGE A VISIT BY COMMISSION AND MEMBER STATE OFFICIALS EARLY IN 1976+.
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