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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1984
THE OUTCOME OF THE TSB DELIBERATIONS. AFTER HEARING PRESENTATIONS BY BOTH PARTIES AND A QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION, WAS AS FOLLOWS:
* THE TSB NOTED THAT THE REGULATIONS WERE INTERIM ONES WITH SOME MODIFICATIONS TO THEM BEING POSSIBLE, AND THAT THEY HAD BEEN INTRODUCED BY THE U.S. WITHOUT FIRST SEEKING BILATERAL CONSULTATIONS.
* THE TSB WAS OF THE OPINION THAT THE INTRODUCTION OF THE REGULATIONS HAD UPSET THE BALANCE OF RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE HONG KONG-U.S. BILATERAL AGREEMENT, THUS AFFECTING ITS ECONOMIC CONTENT AND CREATING UNCERTAINTY.
* THE TSB RECOMMENDED THAT HONG KONG AND THE US. SHOULD HOLD CONSULTATIONS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, WITH A VIEW TO RESTORING THE BALANCE OF RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE AGREEMENT. AND THAT IN THE MEANTIME, THE PARTIES SHOULD CO-OPERATE TO AVOID DISRUPTION TO THE ORDERLY AND EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG'S TRADE.
THE RESULTS ARE TO BE REPORTED BY BOTH PARTIES TO THE TSB BY FEBRUARY 20, 1985.
COMMENTING ON THE OUTCOME, MR MACLEOD SAID: THE RESULT IS EXCELLENT AND CONTAINS ALL THAT WE COULD HAVE HOPED FOR. IT CONFIRMS THAT OUR VIEW OF THESE INTERIM REGULATIONS AS BEING CONTRARY TO THE BILATERAL AGREEMENT WAS CORRECT.
+THE TSB CONCLUSION ALSO REFERS TO THE NEED, NOT ONLY TO CHANGE THE REGULATIONS, BUT ALSO TO FIND A WAY OF AVOIDING CONTINUED DISRUPTION IN THE MEANTIME.
+I SHALL NOW BE CONSULTING THE TEXTILES ADVISORY BOARD IN HONG KONG ON THE NEXT STEP, BUT CLEARLY WE SHALL BE CONTACTING THE U.S. VERY SOON ON FOLLOW-UP ACTION.+
PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL BILL GAZETTED
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A BILL ENABLING THE SETTING UP OF THE PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL NEXT YEAR TO COVER AREAS NOT WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE URBAN COUNCIL HAS BEEN PUBLISHED IN TODAY'S GAZETTE.
THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR ADOLF HSU SAID THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL WOULD ALLOW SOME WORKING EXPERIENCE TO BE GAINED BEFORE THE FULL COUNCIL COMES INTO BEING IN 1986, WHEN IT WOULD INCLUDE DIRECTLY ELECTED CONSTITUENCY-BASED MEMBERS.
/DESCRIBING THE