GATT TRADE TALKS ADJOURNED
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THE MINISTERIAL-LEVEL MEETING ON THE URUGUAY ROUND, WHICH STARTED IN BRUSSELS ON DECEMBER 3, HAS CONCLUDED WITH A DECISION TO EXTEND THE ROUND FOR A BRIEF PERIOD.
IN CLOSING THE MEETING, THE CHAIRMAN, MR GROS-ESPIELL OF URUGUAY, SAID THAT THE MEETING HAD "MADE A SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTION TO ADVANCING THE NEGOTIATING PROCESS",
BUT THAT "PARTICIPANTS NEED MORE TIME TO RECONSIDER AND RECONCILE THEIR POSITIONS IN SOME KEY AREAS OF THE NEGOTIATIONS".
OF
THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE GATT, MR ARTHUR DUNKEL, HAS BEEN TASKED "TO PURSUE INTENSIVE CONSULTATIONS IN THE PERIOD FROM NOW UNTIL THE BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR WITH THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE ACHIEVING AGREEMENTS IN ALL THE AREAS OF THE NEGOTIATING PROGRAMME WHICH DIFFERENCES REMAIN OUTSTANDING".
IN
AND
WAS
COMMENTING ON THIS OUTCOME, THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE INDUSTRY, MR JOHN CHAN, WHO LED THE HONG KONG DELEGATION, SAID HE DISAPPOINTED THAT THE BRUSSELS MEETING HAD NOT RESULTED IN A FINAL AGREEMENT ON THE ROUND.
"THESE WERE VERY DIFFICULT NEGOTIATIONS INVOLVING A WIDE RANGE OF COMPLEX ISSUES. THE MAIN. STUMBLING BLOCK WAS AGRICULTURE WHERE VIEWS WERE SHARPLY DIVIDED, MR CHAN SAID.
"I
HE ADDED THAT, WHILE HONG KONG WAS NOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE NEGOTIATIONS ON AGRICULTURE, THE HONG KONG DELEGATION PLAYED A FULL AND CONSTRUCTIVE PART IN ALL THE OTHER AREAS INCLUDING TEXTILES, ANTI-DUMPING AND SERVICES, AND USEFUL WORK WAS DONE.
"I HOPE THAT PARTICIPANTS IN THE URUGUAY ROUND WOULD REDOUBLE THEIR EFFORTS IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS TO ENSURE THE SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION OF THE ROUND. WE WILL PLAY OUR PART IN THIS CHAN SAID.
PROCESS," MR
TRANSPORT COMPLAINTS INCREASE BY FOUR PER CENT
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DURING THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1990. THE TRANSPORT COMPLAINTS UNIT (TCU) OF THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 2,147 COMPLAINTS, A RISE OF FOUR PER CENT COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS QUARTER.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TCU TODAY (SATURDAY) SAID THE COMPLAINTS WERE RELATED MAINLY TO PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES, TRAFFIC CONDITIONS, ROAD MAINTENANCE AND ENFORCEMENT.
AS REGARDS THE ADEQUACY OF FRANCHISED BUS THERE WAS A TOTAL OF 195 COMPLAINTS COVERING KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES. COMPARED WITH THE THERE WAS A RISE OF 25 CASES OR 15 PER CENT.
SERVICE, HE SAID HONG KONG ISLAND,
PREVIOUS
QUARTER,
/ON THE