FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 1987
2
'A VERY PRODUCTIVE MEETING FOR JLG TEAMS
*****
THE FOLLOWING IS THE STATEMENT BY MR ROBIN MCLAREN, SENIOR REPRESENTATIVE OF THE BRITISH TEAM OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP, AT A PRESS RECEPTION TODAY:
+YOU'VE ALL SEEN THE COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AFTER THE SIXTH MEETING OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP WHICH FINISHED ITS WORK THIS AFTERNOON. IT WILL BE CLEAR FROM THAT THAT WE HAVE HAD ANOTHER VERY PRODUCTIVE MEETING.
+T HE ATMOSPHERE WAS WARM, FRIENDLY AND BUSINESSLIKE. AS A NEWCOMER TO THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP, THOUGH NOT TO SINO- BRITISH NEGOTIATIONS, I HAVE TO SAY THAT I WAS VERY IMPRESSED BY, STRUCK BY THE EXCELLENT CO-OPERATION, THE EXCELLENT METHODS OF WORK BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES.
+AS YOU WILL SEE FROM THE COMMUNIQUE, WE REACHED A
NUMBER OF AGREEMENTS.
+THE FIRST ONE WAS ABOUT THE CONTINUED PARTICIPATION OF HONG KONG IN THE CUSTOMS CO-OPERATION COUNCIL. AS YOU MAY KNOW, THE CUSTOMS CO-OPERATION COUNCIL IS, AS ITS NAME SUGGESTS, A FORUM FOR CO-OPERATION BETWEEN CUSTOMS ADMINISTRATIONS AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR A TERRITORY LIKE HONG KONG WHICH DEPENDS ON TRADE TO TAKE PART IN ITS WORK.
+THERE IS ALSO A LINK, AS YOU WILL SEE, BETWEEN THE CUSTOMS CO-OPERATION COUNCIL AND THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE. THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR PARTICIPATION WHICH ARE ENVISAGED FOR THE CCC ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE WHICH HAVE ALREADY BEEN AGREED FOR THE GATT.
+AGREEMENT WAS ALSO REACHED ON HOW HONG KONG WILL CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ACTIVITIES OF THE UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT (UNCTAD). THIS IS OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO HONG KONG BECAUSE OF UNCTAD'S ROLE IN FORMULATING INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS IN THE FIELD OF SHIPPING AND NEEDN'T STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF SHIPPING TO HONG KONG.
+THAT WAS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WHICH HAD BEEN DEALT WITH IN THE SUB-GROUP ON INTERNATIONAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS WHICH MR BURROWS TAKES PART IN. ANOTHER QUESTION WHICH IS BEING DISCUSSED IN THAT SUB-GROUP IS THE CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN THE ACTIVITIES OF THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION.
+WE HAD AN EXCHANGE OF VIEWS ON THAT, AND ON THE CONTINUED APPLICATION TO HONG KONG OF THE VARIOUS INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONVENTIONS WHICH NOW APPLY IN HONG KONG, AND THE WORK OF THE SUB-GROUP IN THAT AREA WILL CONTINUE.
/+THERE IS