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THURELAY, DECEM.
THE LDC (LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES) STATEMENT ..EPEATED THE KEY QUESTIONS FACING THE TEXTILES COMMITTEE ON WHETHER TO EXTEND, MODIFY OR DISCONTINUE THE MULTI-FIBRE ARRANGEMENT WHICH EXPIRES IN MID-1986. THEY ARE: +WHETHER CONTINUED PROTECTION TO DEVELOPED COUNTRY TEXTILES AND CLOTHING INDUSTRIES IS JUSTIFIABLE, WHETHER THESE INDUSTRIES CAN CONTINUE TO CLAIM SPECIAL TREATMENT IN THE FORM OF A DEROGATION FROM GATT RULES, AND WHETHER A CONVINCING CASE CAN BE MADE TO JUSTIFY PERSISTENT DISCRIMINATION AGAINST DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.+
MR MACLEOD SAID THE COMMITTEE IS ENGAGED IN A SELF-CONTAINED EXERCISE WHICH IS NOT PART OF THE GATT WORK PROGRAMME STEMMING FROM THE MINISTERIAL DECLARATION OF 1982.
+NEVERTHELESS, IT MUST BE RECOGNISED THAT THE OBJECTIVES OF TRADE LIBERALISATION WHICH HAVE BEEN THE SUBJECT OF INTENSIVE DISCUSSIONS IN GATT DIRECTED TOWARDS THE LAUNCHING OF A NEW ROUND OF MULTILATERAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS SHOULD, IN PRINCIPLE, APPLY EQUALLY TO TEXTILES AND CLOTHING AS TO ALL OTHER SECTORS.
+ IF THERE IS NO DEMONSTRATION OF WILLINGNESS TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE LONG-STANDING INSTITUTIONALISED PROTECTION IN THE TEXTILES SECTOR AND THE TEXTILES COMMITTEE PROCESS PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SUCH A DEMONSTRATION THEN THE EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT MIGHT BE ACHIEVED IN NEGOTIATIONS IN OTHER AREAS MIGHT PROVE TO BE SIMILARLY LIMITED.
+AT THE VERY LEAST IT SHOULD BE EXPECTED THAT ANY SUCCESSOR ARRANGEMENT THAT MIGHT EMERGE FROM THE PRESENT PROCESS SHOULD BE BASED UPON A COMMITMENT TOWARDS FULL LIBERALISATION AND ULTIMATE RETURN TO THE FULL APPLICATION OF GATT RULES AND SHOULD THUS PROVIDE, BOTH AT THE MULTILATERAL AND BILATERAL LEVELS, FOR CONCRETE MEASURES TOWARDS ACHIEVING THESE AIMS, SAID MR MACLEOD.
MR MACLEOD WELCOMED THE EEC COMMISSION STATEMENT THAT THE EEC HAD CALLED ON PRESIDENT REAGAN TO VETO THE JENKINS BILL.
REPORT ON HOUSING GREEN PAPER TO BE MADE PUBLIC
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THE COMMITTEE ON HOUSING SUBSIDY TO TENANTS OF PUBLIC HOUSING TODAY WAS ASKED TO FURTHER STUDY PUBLIC OPINION AND COMMENTS ON THE GREEN PAPER AND TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IN DUE COURSE.
AT ITS MEETING THIS MORNING MEMBERS OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY CONSIDERED A REPORT ON PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON THE GREEN PAPER. AND NOTED THAT THERE WAS A GENERAL SUPPORT FOR THE PRINCIPLE OF THE GREEN PAPER.
/THEY DECIDED