XN000022-1974-05-13 — Page 4

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MONDAY, MAY 13, 1974.

DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF GATT ARRIVES FOR PRIVATE VISIT

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MR. OLIVIER LONG, DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE (GATT) ARRIVED IN HONG KONG WITH HIS WIFE TODAY (MONDAY) FOR A SHORT PRIVATE VISIT AS GUESTS OF THE GUVERNUR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE.

DURING HIS STAY MR. LONG WILL BE HAVING INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS ON TRADE MATTEKS WITH SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, INCLUDING THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, AND THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES.

MR. LONG, WHO WAS BORN IN SWITZERLAND, WAS APPOINTED DIRECTUR-GENERAL OF THE GATT IN MAY 1960, AFTER SERVING AS SWISS AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED KINGDOM.

THE GATT LAYS DOWN AGREED RULES FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE WHICH ARE SUBSCRIBED TO BY OVER JO GOVERNMENTS, INCLUDING HONG KONG. IT ALSO FUNCTIONS AS THE PRINCIPAL INTERNATIONAL BODY CONCERNED WITH NEGOTIATING THE REDUCTION OF TRADE BARRIERS AND WITH INTERNATIONAL TRADE RELATIONS.

HONG KONG PARTICIPATED LAST YEAR IN MULTI-LATERAL NEGOTIATIONS CONVENED BY THE GATT WHICH CULMINATED IN THE ADOPTION OF A NEW ARRANGEMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN TEXTILES.

THIS ESTABLISHED A NEW SET OF RULES FOR NEGOTIATING AGREE- MENTS COVERING WORLD TRADE IN TEXTILES, AND IS ESPECIALLY SIGNIFICANT FÜR HÙNG KUNG WHICH IS HEAVILY DEPENDENT UN TEXTILE EXPORTS.

ANOTHER MAJOR GATT ACTIVITY IN WHICH HONG KONG IS PARTICIPATING IS THE NEW ROUND OF MULTI-LATERAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WHICH WERE LAUNCHED IN SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR.

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THE AIM OF THESE NEGOTIATIONS IS TO ACHIEVE FURTHER LIBERALISATION OF WORLD TRADE IN REGARD TO BOTH TARIFF AND NON-TARIFF BARRIERS.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

A SUMMARY OF THE GATT'S CURRENT ACTIVITIES IS AVAILABLE. FUR CULLECTION FROM THE G.1.S. PRESS ROOM, 6TH FLOOR, BEACONSFIELD HOUSE.