WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 1977
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CLARIFICATION SOUGHT ON ADDITIONAL FRENCH TEXTILES RESTRICTIONS *****
THE GOVERNMENT HAS MADE FORMAL AND INFORMAL CONTACTS IN BOTH PARIS AND BRUSSELS OVER THE LAST TEN DAYS TO CLARIFY A STATEMENT MADE BY THE FRENCH MINISTER OF TRADE THAT ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS WERE BEING IMPOSED ON IMPORTS OF TEXTILES UP TO THE END OF THIS YEAR, THE DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, THE HON. BILL DORWARD SAID TODAY.
HE WAS REPLYING IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO A REQUEST BY DR. THE HON. S.Y. CHUNG, IN AN UNSCHEDULED QUESTION, FOR AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON THE REPORTED RESTRICTIONS BY THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT.
MR. DORWARD TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT DESPITE THE CONTACTS, THE GOVERNMENT HAD STILL BEEN UNABLE TO OBTAIN DEFINITIVE INFORMATION ON THE FRENCH ACTION WHICH WAS REPORTED IN THE PRESS.
+ IT WAS REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED NEARLY TWO WEEKS AGO, AND IMPLEMENTED ONE WEEK AGO. 1 HAVE BEEN LED TO EXPECT AN EARLY FORMAL COMMUNICATION FROM THE FRENCH AUTHORITIES. HOWEVER, I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A STATEMENT ON THIS SOON, THE DIRECTOR SAID.
HE SAID IT APPEARED THAT THE RESTRICTIONS WERE NON- DISCRIMINATORY, BUT NONETHELESS AFFECTED THE TRADE IN WHICH HONG KONG WAS ALREADY EXERCISING EXPORT RESTRAINT UNDER A BILATERAL AGREEMENT CONCLUDED THREE YEARS AGO WITH THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY.
+ SHOULD NOTE THAT THE RESTRICTIONS APPEAR TO AFFECT ONLY THREE CATEGORIES OF TEXTILES OF INTEREST TO HONG KONG. TRADE SOURCES, HOWEVER, INDICATED SOME DISLOCATION OF TRADE IS ALREADY TAKING PLACE, IN THAT HONG KONG EXPORT LICENCES WHICH WERE ISSUED IN GOOD FAITH AND TRADE CONDUCTED IN GOOD FAITH ARE NOT BEING HONOURED IN FRANCE AT THIS MOMENT,+ MR. DORWARD SAID.
HE ASSURED DR. CHUNG THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD EXERT GREATER PRESSURE ON THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT AND ON THE E.E.C. TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM SATISFACTORILY AND AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.
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