WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 1978
3
HK-NORWAY MAY RE-OPEN TEXTILE TALKS LATER THIS YEAR
*****
TEXTILE NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND NORWAY WILL POSSIBLY BE RE-OPENED LATER THIS YEAR, THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS, THE HON. DAVID JORDAN, SAID TODAY.
REPLYING TO QUESTIONS BY THE HON. FRANCIS TIEN IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR. JORDAN SAID HE RECEIVED CONFIRMATION THIS (WEDNESDAY) MORNING FROM THE NORWEGIAN CONSUL-GENERAL THAT +THE NORWEGIAN AUTHORITIES WILL NOT OPPOSE RESUMPTION OF THE TEXTILE CONSULTATIONS WHICH WERE OPENED IN DECEMBER LAST YEAR. +
BECAUSE OF OTHER BILATERAL NEGOTIATIONS AND ALSO INTERNAL PREPARATION FOR THE APRIL MEETING OF THE TEXTILE COMMITTEE WITHIN THE GATT, THE NORWEGIAN CONSUL-GENERAL SAID + IT WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE TO ENTER INTO NEW CONSULTATIONS UNTIL AFTER THE SAID TEXTILES COMMITTEE MEETING+, MR, JORDAN TOLD THE COUNCIL.
IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE RESUMED CONSULTATIONS TAKE PLACE IN OSLO AFTER THAT MEETING.
THE NORWEGIAN AUTHORITIES HAD INTRODUCED WITH EFFECT FROM JANUARY 1 UNILATERAL IMPORT RESTRICTIONS ON IMPORTS OF CERTAIN TEXTILE PRODUCTS FROM HONG KONG AT UNSPECIFIED LEVELS.
MR. JORDAN SAID +THIS DISCRIMINATORY ACTION AGAINST HONG KONG HAS DISRUPTED THE NORMAL TRADE IN THESE PRODUCTS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND NORWAY.+
HE ALSO SAID THE BRITISH EMBASSY IN OSLO HAS, AT THE REQUEST CF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND ON INSTRUCTION FROM THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, DELIVERED A FORMAL NOTE TO THE NORWEGIAN AUTHORITIES ASKING THAT THE RESTRICTIONS, +WHICH LE BELIEVE TO BE NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GATT OR THE MULTI-FIBRE ARRANGEMENT, SHOULD BE REMOVED, OR FAILING THIS, THAT THE NORWEGIAN GOVERNMENT SHOULD ENTER INTO CONSULTATIONS WITH HONG KONG, UNDER THE GATT, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.+
MR. JORDAN ADDED THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ALSO EXPRESSED ITS CONCERN ON BEHALF OF HONG KONG TO THE NORWEGIAN GOVERNMENT AND HAS PRESSED THE NORWEGIAN GOVERNMENT TO RE-OPEN NEGOTIATIONS AS A MATTER OF URGENCY.
/4