XN000022-1977-10-06 — Page 2

Thursday, October 6, 1977

HONG KONG TEXTILES NEGOTIATING TEAR LEAVES FOR BRUGSELS

*

The Director of Trede, Mr. Lawrence Mills, and the Assiutant

Director, Mr. T.H. Chau, left Hong Kong this evening for Brussels.

Hr. Hills heads the Hong Kong team which will be negotiating

new textile arrangements covering Hong Kong exports to the EEC from

January 1 next year. The negotiations will start on Tuesday, October

11. Mr. Tran Van Thinh will lead the PEC side.

Shortly before his departure, Mr. Mills said he would not

make any forecast as to the outcome of the negotiations.

E first want to see a detailed statement of the EEC's proposals

before making any comments along those lines," he said.

What I can say is that I am satisfied that we have done all

we can in the Trade Department to prepare for these negotiations, and

I have an excellent teen with me."

Mr. Mills said he looked forward to being joined by the

Director of Trade, Industry and Customs and Chairman of the Textiles

Advisory Board, lir. Devid Jordan, and members of the Board as the talks

progress.

"Mr. Chau and I are leaving one day ahead of the rest of the

team to be briefed on the latest developments by Mr. Claude Burgess,

Hong Kong's minister in Brussels responsible for commercial relations

between Hong Kong and EEC and its member states," Mr. Mills said.

Five other members of the team, including Mr. Justin Yue,

the Assistant Director of Trade responsible for Hong Kong's textile

exports controls and Mr. Clive Brockelbank of the Legal Department

will leave for Brussels tomorrow. Mr. Steuart Webb-Johnson,

/Assistant