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Wednesday, November 28, 1973
PRESSURE FOR EQUAL TREATMENT IN EEC TO CONTINUE
An assurance that pressure will be maintained to secure equal
treatment for Hong Kong's textile and footwear exports in the EEC's generalised preference scheme was given at today's Legislative Council
meeting by the Director of Commerce and Industry, Mr. David Jordan.
In reply to a question from Mr. T.K. Ann, he said that the
British Government had made very clear to the other member states of the
European Economic Community that it regards discrimination against Hong
Kong as no longer acceptable.
"I am very well aware of the dissatisfaction with the present
situation among Hong Kong textile and footwear manufacturers and exporters,"
Mr. Jordan said.
"We shall continue to press not for special treatment but for equal treatment for Hong Kong with the object of seeking this discrimination
removed by 1975."
Mr. Jordan said that the British Government had reached the
conclusion that it would not have been able to get agreement on the inclusion of Hong Kong's textiles and footwear in the scheme for 1974.
"However strongly we may feel about this issue
and we have made
I think we
it clear in London that we do feel very strongly about it --
must admit that it must be left to Her Majesty's Government to decide
the tactics of the operation," he added.
"That is
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