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THURSDAY, MARCH 7 4077
PROTECTION OF HK TEXTILE EXPORTS TO EEC SOUGHT
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THE GOVERNMENT WAS TODAY URGED TO SEEK REASSURANCE FROM BRITAIN THAT IT WILL PLAY NO PART IN EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY'S MATTERS WHICH +ADVERSELY, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, UNFAIRLY AFFECT HONG KONG
THE APPEAL CAME FROM THE HON. FRANCIS TIEN DURING THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
MR. TIEN EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT PRESS REPORTS THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM WAS SAID TO BE A PARTY TO THE EEC PROPOSAL FOR A MORE RESTRICTIVE MULTI FIBRE ARRANGEMENT (MFA).
HE NOTED THAT THE EXISTING MFA WAS, IN THE VIEW OF TEXTILE EXPORTING COUNTRIES, ALREADY A RESTRICTIVE INSTRUMENT.
ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS, MR. TIEN SAID EEC WANTED TO MAKE THE MFA MORE RESTRICTIVE, THUS MAKING THE FRAMEWORK FOR FUTURE NEGOTIATIONS EVEN MORE UNFAVOURABLE TO EXPORTING COUNTRIES.
HE SAID: +IF THESE REPORTS ARE ACCURATE, AND THERE APPEARS TO BE NO REASON TO SUGGEST THAT THEY ARE NOT, THEY WOULD SEEM TO UNDERMINE THE VERY POSITIVE, HELPFUL AND ENCOURAGING REMARKS MADE BY SIR PETER CAREY, A SENIOR CIVIL SERVANT IN THE DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.+
SIR PETER, WHO VISITED HONG KONG RECENTLY, EMPHASISED THE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE U.K. AND HONG KONG AND THE DETERMINATION OF THE U.K. GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE THAT IN MATTERS RELATING TO COMMERCIAL RELATIONS, REGARD WOULD BE HAD TO THIS SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP.
MR. TIEN SAID: THE PUBLIC IN HONG KONG IS ENTITLED TO RE- ASSURANCE FROM HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT THAT IT WOULD PLAY NO PART IN THE EEC IN MATTERS WHICH ADVERSELY, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, UNFAIRLY AFFECT HONG KONG AND INDEED IT SHOULD BE EXPECTED TO GO FURTHER BY DEFENDING HONG KONG IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES.+
THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBER ALSO ASKED THE GOVERNMENT TO MAKE A PUBLIC STATEMENT ON THE POSITION REGARDING THE FUTURE OF THE NFA AND AN ASSESSMENT AS TO WHAT PROGRESS WOULD LIKELY BE MADE IN THE DISCUSSIONS IN GENEVA LEADING TO THE RENEWAL OF THE MFA, WHICH EXPIRES AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.
THERE WAS AN ELEMENT OF CRYSTAL BALL GAZING IN MAKING FORECASTS OF THIS NATURE, HE SAID.
BUT HE ADDED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD SPELL OUT ANY FACTS AND INFORMATION IT HAD WHICH COULD RE-ASSURE THE TRADING COMMUNITY IN HONG KONG SO AS TO RESTORE AND MAINTAIN BUSINESS CONF IDENCE.
MR. TIEN DISCLOSED THAT HONG KONG'S DELEGATE TO THE 23RD COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENTARY ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN CANADA IN SEPTEMBER INTENDED TO PROPOSE THAT A TOPIC ENTITLED +INTERNATIONAL TRADING AGREEMENT+ BE INCLUDED IN THE AGENDA SC THAT THE RECENT EVENTS SURROUNDING THE AUSTRALIAN AND CANAD TAN ACTIONS IN INTRODUCING TARIFF QUOTAS IN ONE CASE AND SUPERSEDING BILATERAL AGREEMENTS IN THE OTHER, COULD BE DISCUSSED IN AN OPEN FORUM.