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FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 1985
IT COULD ALSO BE INFERRED, IF THE DEFENDING PARTY APPEARS BEFORE A FOREIGN TRIBUNAL MERELY TO POINT TO THE ARBITRATION CLAUSE, THAT HE HAS VOLUNTARILY SUBMITTED TO ITS JURISDICTION. FURTHERMORE, A PARTY WHO HAS OBTAINED A FOREIGN JUDGMENT CAN START PROCEEDINGS AFRESH ON THE SAME ISSUES IN HONG KONG.
THESE UNSATISFACTORY ASPECTS OF THE LAW WILL BE RECTIFIED BY THE BILL, WHICH WILL BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON WEDNESDAY (JUNE 12). ITS SECOND READING DEBATE IS EXPECTED TO BE RESUMED ON JUNE 26.
PUBLIC COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO UMELCO. AT SWIRE HOUSE 12TH FLOOR, CHATER ROAD, OR TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CHAMBERS, AT THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES, LOWER ALBERT ROAD, HONG KONG.
PROTECTIONISM THREATENS LIBERALISATION
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HONG KONG SUPPORTS EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN THE MULTILATERAL TRADING SYSTEM BY FURTHER LIBERALISATION, THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE MR HAMISH MACLEOD, TOLD A GATT COUNCIL MEETING IN GENEVA YESTERDAY.
BUT HE WARNED THAT NEW PROTECTIONIST MEASURES COULD UNDERMINE NEGOTIATIONS.
SAYING THAT THESE WERE EARLY DAYS TO TAKE ANY DEFINITIVE OR DETAILED VIEWS ON THE LAUNCHING OF SUCH TALKS, MR MACLEOD NOTED THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST COUNCIL MEETING TO HAVE THE SUBJECT FORMALLY ON THE AGENDA SO THAT VARIOUS IDEAS COULD BE AIRED.
+I DO NOT THINK ANY OF US HERE WOULD DISAGREE WITH THE BROAD AIM OF STRENGTHENING THE MULTILATERAL TRADING SYSTEM BY FURTHER LIBERALISATION, IT ALSO SEEMS TO US ENTIRELY REASONABLE TO STRESS THAT ANY MOVES IN THIS DIRECTION SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO BECOME AN EXCUSE FOR SWEEPING THE RESULTS OF THE 1982 GATT MINISTERIAL MEETING ASIDE.+
AMONG THE RESULTS OF THAT MEETING WERE PROPOSALS FOR THE LIBERALISATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL TEXTILE TRADE, FOR THE PROVISION OF SAFEGUARDS AND FOR THE SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES.
HONG KONG, MR MACLEOD SAID, FULLY SUPPORTED THE COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AFTER A WORKSHOP IN MEXICO CITY IN APRIL THIS YEAR ATTENDED BY DEVELOPING EXPORTERS OF TEXTILES AND CLOTHING.
/+IN THAT