FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1934
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HK TO PRESS +ORIGIN+ ISSUE
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HONG KONG WILL PRESS ITS REQUEST THAT THE UNITED STATES RESCIND THE COUNTRY-OF-ORIGIN REGULATIONS AT THE GATT TEXTILES COMMITTEE MEETINGS IN GENEVA ON OCTOBER 17 AND 22, THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR HAMISH MACLEOD SAID TODAY.
MR MACLEOD AND THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR DONALD TSANG, ARE DUE TO LEAVE FOR GENEVA LATER TODAY.
THEY WILL BE JOINED AT THE TALKS BY HONG KONG'S COUNSELLOR IN GENEVA, MR MICHAEL CARTLAND.
+WE SHALL TAKE A VIEW ON WHEN TO RESUME BILATERAL CONSULTATIONS WITH THE USA IN THE LIGHT OF DEVELOPMENTS IN GENEVA - BOTH IN THE TEXTILES COMMITTEE ITSELF AND IN A NUMBER OF INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS WE SHALL BE HAVING, MR MACLEOD SAID.
+THE OUTCOME OF THE CONSULTATIONS WILL THEN IN TURN DETERMINE WHICH OTHER OPTIONS, SUCH AS GOING TO THE TEXTILES SURVEILLANCE BODY, ARE PURSUED, AND WHEN. THE RIGHT TIMING IS IMPORTANT. +
IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT THE UNITED STATES DELEGATION WILL COMPRISE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT, THE TREASURY, THE U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE, AND THE COMMERCE AND LABOUR DEPARTMENTS.
MR MACLEOD SAID THAT HIS DELEGATION WOULD BE COORDINATING EFFORTS WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM OTHER COUNTRIES - BOTH DEVELOPED AND DEVELOPING TO PRESS FOR THE U.S. RULES OF ORIGIN TO BE RESCINDED.
HE SAID THAT THIS ISSUE WAS ONE OF A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. OTHER KEY ITEMS ARE A MAJOR REVIEW OF THE MULTI- FIBRE ARRANGEMENT BY THE TEXTILES SURVEILLANCE BODY AND A REVIEW
HONG KONG HAD OF PROGRESS BY THE GATT WORKING PARTY ON TEXTILES.
A KEEN INTEREST IN BOTH THESE OTHER AGENDA ITEMS AND WOULD ALSO BE INVOLVED IN DISCUSSIONS ON THEM.
QUARTERLY JOBLESS RATE DECLINES
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THE UNEMPLOYMENT SITUATION IMPROVED FURTHER WHILE THE UNDEREMPLOYMENT SITUATION STABILISED, ACCORDING TO THE LATEST LABOUR FORCE STATISTICS RELEASED TODAY BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.
THE SEASONALLY ADJUSTED UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR JUNE-AUGUST 1984 WAS 3.4 PER CENT, WHICH COMPARES WITH 3.8 PER CENT FOR THE PREVIOUS QUARTER MARCH-MAY 1984. THE DECREASE OF 0.4 PERCENTAGE POINT WAS STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT, THAT IS, IT WAS GREATER THAN MIGHT BE EXPECTED TO ARISE FROM SAMPLING ERROR. THE RATE FOR JUNE-AUGUST 1983 WAS 3.7 PER CENT.
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