XN000022-1975-06-18 — Page 6

4

VEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 1975

5

+FULL USE HAS BEEN MADE OF OUR EUROPEAN OFFICES WITH THEIR · WIDE AND FRIENDLY CONTACTS WITH E.E.C. OFFICIALS AND WITH OTHERS WHO HAVE SOME INFLUENCE ON E.E.C. THINKING AND POLICIES,

IN ADDITION, THE HONG KONG TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL HAS TAKEN EVERY OPPORTUNITY OF PRESSING HONG KONG'S LEGITIMATE INTEREST IN THIS MATTER.

+THE CUMULATIVE RESULT OF ALL THESE EFFORTS,+ SAID MR. MCGREGOR, +IS THAT, HONG KONG HAS ENJOYED SINCE 1971, QUITE SUBSTANTIAL ACCESS TO THE E.E.C. GENERALISED SCHEME OF PREFERENCES.+

1

IMPROVEMENTS WERE ALSO OBTAINED FOR THE 1975 SCHEME FOR FOOTWEAR AND THE E.E.C. COMMISSION HAS PROPOSED THAT THE 1976 SCHEME SHOULD INCLUDE ACCESS FOR HONG KONG IN A FEW COTTON TEXTILE ITEMS.

HOWEVER, HE SAID, HONG KONG WILL NOT BE SATISFIED UNTIL IT HAS THE SAME ACCESS AS OTHER DEVELOPING TERRITORIES TO ALL THE GENERALISED SCHEMES OF PREFERENCES.

WINDING UP HIS SPEECH, MR. MCGREGOR ASSURED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THAT THE GOVERNMENT AND ITS OFFICIALS ARE SOLELY CONCERNED TO SECURE AND PROTECT HONG KONG'S INTERESTS.

IN SO DOING, HE SAID, WE MUST RELY ON OUR OWN JUDGEMENT AS A GOVERNMENT AND AS INFLUENCED BY UNOFFICIAL ADVICE. IT IS THE HONG KONG INTEREST THAT DICTATES THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICIES IN TRADE AND IN ALL ELSE.+

16.

H