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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1977
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+A FEW DAYS AGO WE RECEIVED INDICATIONS THAT THE COMMISSION WAS READY TO RESUME SO MR. MILLS, THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, AND HIS TEAM OF OFFICIALS FROM THE DEPARTMENT, LEFT ON SUNDAY, AND HAVE ALREADY, AS YOU KNOW, RESUMED THEIR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE COMMISSION.
+MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND I ARE LEAVING TO JOIN MR. MILLS AND HIS TEAM TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM ON-THE-SPOT ADVICE AND DIRECTION IN THE HOPE THAT THIS WILL ENABLE US TO REACH AGREEMENT QUICKLY.
+MR. TRAN, THE COMMUNITY'S CHIEF NEGOTIATOR, WAS REPORTED IN YESTERDAY'S ́ NEWSPAPERS AS SAYING THAT THE TALKS HAD RESUMED 'WITH THE VIEW OF CONCLUDING AN AGREEMENT ON TRADE IN TEXTILES' AND THAT THE TALKS WERE BEING HELD IN AN EXCELLENT CLIMATE OF REAL ISM'.
+REPORTS THAT I HAVE RECEIVED FROM MR. MILLS INDICATE THAT THIS IS INDEED SO AND I AM NOW MORE HOPEFUL ABOUT THE EVENTUAL OUTCOME THAN I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE BEFORE TODAY,
+ SHOULD LIKE TO ASSURE THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG — FOR THIS NEGOTIATION CAN AFFECT THE ECONOMIC FUTURE OF ALL OF US, NOT JUST THE TEXTILE AND CLOTHING INDUSTRY THAT WE ARE WELL AWARE NOT ONLY OF ITS IMPORTANCE BUT ALSO OF THE NEED TO REMOVE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE THE UNCERTAINTIES WHICH ARE ALREADY AFFECTING TRADE. THAT IS WHY MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY BOARD ARE GOING TOO, TO BE ABLE TO ADVISE US QUICKLY IN THE LIGHT OF THEIR DETAILED KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRADE.
+UNFORTUNATELY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD (WHO HAVE ALREADY SPENT SEVERAL WEEKS IN BRUSSELS) ARE UNABLE TO ACCOMPANY US THIS TIME BUT THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE IN THE STRONG TEAM THAT IS GOING AND THAT IF THERE ARE ANY ASPECTS OF THE NEGOTIATION ON WHICH WE IN BRUSSELS FEEL WE NEED FURTHER ADVICE FROM HONG KONG, THEY WILL STAND BY READY TO MEET AT ANY TIME UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF MR. BILL DORWARD, WHO WILL BE STANDING IN FOR ME.+
NOTE TO EDITORS:
MR. JORDAN WILL BE PREPARED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ON HIS STATEMENT AT 10 P.M. IN THE AIRPORT VIP PRESS CONFERENCE ROOM. IF YOU WISH TO ATTEND, YOU ARE REQUESTED TO BE THERE NOT LATER THAN 9.45 P.M.
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