XN000022-1975-11-28 — Page 4

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1975

TEXTILE TALKS IN EUROPE

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THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, MR. LAWRENCE MILLS, LEAVES FOR EUROPE TOMORROW (SATURDAY) FOR GOVERNMENT-TO- GOVERNMENT CONSULTATIONS AND MEETINGS ON TEXTILES WHICH WILL LAST ABOUT THREE WEEKS.

MR. MILLS' FIRST STOP WILL BE GENEVA WHERE HE ATTENDS A MEETING OF THE GATT'S TEXTILE COMMITTEE, ESTABLISHED UNDER THE MULTI-FIBRE ARRANGEMENT.

THE COMMITTEE MEETS SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR. ITEMS ON THE AGENDA FOR THE LATEST MEETING INCLUDE

(1) A REVIEW OF THE OPERATION OF THE MULTI-FIBRE

ARRANGEMENT (MFA)=

(2) AN ANALYSIS OF THE CURRENT STATE OF WORLD TEXTILE

PRODUCTION= AND

(3) MEMBERSHIP OF THE TEXTILE SURVEILLANCE BODY, OF WHICH HONG KONG IS CURRENTLY A FULL MEMBER,

MR. MILLS TRAVELS FROM GENEVA TO VIENNA WHERE HE WILL BE HOLDING CONSULTATIONS ON THE FUTURE OF THE CURRENT RESTRAINT AGREEMENT WITH AUSTRIA ON SHIRTS WHICH EXPIRES ON JANUARY 31 NEXT YEAR.

MR. MILLS' THIRD STOP IS OSLO WHERE HE WILL RESUME TALKS ON THE QUESTION OF CERTAIN TEXTILE EXPORTS TO NORWAY. THESE TALKS WERE ADJOURNED IN HONG KONG EARLY THIS MONTH.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS BECAUSE OF THESE COMMITMENTS THAT THE DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, MR. DAVID JORDAN, WILL BE LEADING THE HONG KONG DELEGATION AT THE CONSULTATIONS WITH THE EEC SCHEDULED IN BRUSSELS ON DECEMBER 15.

MR. MILLS WILL BE LEAVING ON FLIGHT TG 603 (THAI INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE). THE ESTIMATED TIME OF DEPARTURE IS 7 A.M.

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