MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1977
SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL, MR. WONG SAID HE CONSIDERED THAT ANYONE REJECTED THE AMNESTY WOULD NOT RECEIVE THE SYMPATHY OF THE PUBLIC AS THE PUBLIC WOULD THINK THAT THE ONLY REASON WHY HE WANTED FURTHER CONCESSIONS WAS BECAUSE HE INTENDED TO CONTINUE DOING HIS CORRUPT ACTIVITIES.
+WE, THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, CANNOT POSSIBLY TOLERATE A SITUATION WHEREBY WE GIVE IN TO DEMANDS TO ALLOW A CONTINUATION OF CORRUPT ACTIVITIES.
+ SUPPORT THE BILL AND THIS MUST REFLECT THE FIRM SUPPORT WE GIVE TO THE GOVERNMENT TO MAKE NO FURTHER CONCESSIONS.
+ INDEED SOME FEEL THAT WE MAY HAVE ALREADY GONE TOO FAR, + MR. WONG SAID.
HONG KONG MAKES FINAL OFFER TO EEC
******
HONG KONG HAS MADE THE EEC A FINAL OFFER IN A MOVE TO BREAK THE IMPASSE IN THE NEGOTIATIONS ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE TEXTILES EXPORTS TO THE EEC. THIS FINAL OFFER WAS FORMALLY TABLED BY MR. LAWRENCE MILLS, HONG KONG'S DIRECTOR OF TRADE, ON FRIDAY (NOVEMBER 4) IN BRUSSELS.
MR. MILLS SAID IN A STATEMENT ON NOVEMBER 6. THAT THE IMPASSE AND THE LACK OF PROGRESS IN THE NEGOTIATIONS OCCURRED FOR FOUR REASONS.
+ THE FIRST IS THAT THE EEC'S PROPOSALS FOR SIX OF THE EEC'S EIGHT MOST SENSITIVE PRODUCTS INVOLVED A SHARP CUTBACK ON HONG KONG'S 1976 TRADE. THIS WAS NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROTECTING THE EEC INDUSTRY, BUT TO ENABLE THE EEC TO REDISTRIBUTE PART OF HONG KONG'S TRADE TO OTHER SUPPLIERS. NOT SURPRISINGLY HONG KONG HAS FOUND THIS ELEMENT OF THE EEC'S PROPOSALS IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCEPT.
+SECONDLY, AS ITS OWN NEGOTIATORS HAVE READILY ADMITTED DURING THE NEGOTIATIONS, THE EEC HAS SO FAR FAILED TO PROVIDE
A COMPLETE SET OF PROPOSALS TO HONG KONG. THE HONG KONG NEGOTIATORS HAVE THEREFORE FOUND IT IMPOSSIBLE TO MAKE A FULL ASSESSMENT OF WHAT THE EEC IS DEMANDING OF HONG KONG, AND TO RESPOND TO THAT DEMAND.
+THIRDLY, IN COMPLETE DISREGARD OF THE TRADITIONAL PATTERNS OF TRADE, THE EEC HAS PROPOSED RADICAL CHANGES TO THE EXISTING SYSTEM OF CLASSIFYING TEXTILE PRODUCTS, HONG KONG OFFICIALS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILES RESTRAINTS HAVE ESTIMATED THAT IF THE EEC'S NEW SYSTEM WERE IMPOSED ON THE TRADE, IT WOULD TAKE AT LEAST TWO MONTHS, AND POSSIBLY FOUR MONTHS, FOR THE QUOTAS TO BE RE-CALCULATED IN LINE WITH THE NEW SYSTEM. THE HONG KONG NEGOTIATORS HAVE TOLD THE EEC NEGOTIATORS THAT SUCH A STOPPAGE OF TRADE WOULD CAUSE ENORMOUS DISLOCATION AND HARDSHIP TO COMMUNITY IMPORTERS AND CONSUMERS JUST AS MUCH AS TO HONG KONG EXPORTERS.
/+FINALLY, THE BEC