10
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1993
FOR CALCULATING COMPENSATION, MR LAM SAID THE LEVEL
THE OF DEEMED MINIMUM EARNINGS A MONTH WOULD BE RAISED FROM $1,450 TO $2,250.
REVISION WILL SIMILAR
OF BE MADE TO THE RATES
FUNERAL AND MEDICAL EXPENSES PAYABLE UNDER THE PNEUMOCONIOSIS (COMPENSATION) ORDINANCE.
THE NEW RATES HAVE BEEN ENDORSED BY THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD.
MFA AGREEMENT POSSIBLE BEFORE EXPIRY DATE
THE
CONFIDENCE ARRANGEMENT THIS YEAR.
SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR TH THAT AN
(MFA)
CHAU,
EXPRESSED EXTEND AGREEMENT TO RENEW OR
THE MULTI-FIBRE END OF WOULD BE REACHED BEFORE IT EXPIRED AT THE
IN
THAT
EXTEND BEYOND THE BILATERAL VALID
THE UNLIKELY EVENT THAT NEGOTIATIONS SHOULD HONG KONG'S POSITION WILL BE PROTECTED BY DATE, TEXTILES AGREEMENTS COVERING ITS MAIN MARKETS, ALL OF WHICH ARE UNTIL AT LEAST THE END OF NEXT YEAR, HE SAID.
IN
10-YEAR
UNDER THE TEXTILES AND CLOTHING AGREEMENT BEING NEGOTIATED THE URUGUAY ROUND OF MULTILATERAL TRADE TALKS, RESTRICTIONS MAINTAINED
THE UNDER
MFA WILL BB PHASED OUT DURING A TRANSITIONAL PERIOD.
PROPOSED
MR CHAU EXPLAINED THAT DELAYS IN COMPLETING THE URUGUAY
EVEN IF ᎢᎻᎪᎢ . MEANT
THE THE ROUND WAS COMPLETED 15 DECEMBER
YEAR, THIS
ΤΟ IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE RESULTS UNTIL JANUARY 1, 1995 AT THE EARLIEST.
BY
DEADLINE IMPLEMENT
ROUND OF THE
IF ONLY TO
"IT IS, THEREFORE, NECESSARY TO EXTEND THE MFA, BRIDGE THE ONE-YEAR GAP BETWEEN THE EXPIRY OF THE MFA AND THE START OF
PHASE-OUT THE PROPOSED
PERIOD UNDER A POSSIBLE URUGUAY ROUND AGREEMENT, MR CHAU SAID.
HI
IN
IN
A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM DR THE HON DAVID K P
MR COUNCIL LEGISLATIVE
CHAU SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY), THE GOVERNMENT HAD FORESEEN THIS SITUATION FOR SOME TIME.
LI
THE
AND IT CONSULTED THE TEXTILES ADVISORY BOARD IN MAY THIS ON NEGOTIATING INSTRUCTIONS FOR AN EXTENSION OF THE MFA.
YEAR
THE
HAS THE GOVERNMENT
BEEN WORKING
THEN WITH SINCE REPRESENTATIVES OF OTHER TEXTILES EXPORTING ECONOMIES IN GENEVA TO CO- ORDINATE A COMMON POSITION FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENTERING NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE IMPORTING COUNTRIES ON THE EXTENSION.
INTO
"UNFORTUNATELY,
DESPITE
THE INITIATIVES TAKEN BY MANY OF THE OTHER PARTIES CONCERNED HAD BEEN RELUCTANT TO ENTER SUCH NEGOTIATIONS BEFORE THEY HAD A CLEARER IDEA OF THE PROSPECTS
THE DEADLINE OF THE
CONCLUSION OF THE URUGUAY ROUND BY SUCCESSFUL DECEMBER 15."
HONG
KONG,
INTO
FOR
"SUCH NEGOTIATIONS HAVE RECENTLY BEGUN IN EARNEST AT LAST,
T
HE
SAID.
0
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