XN000022-1978-06-07 — Page 18

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 1978

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HONG KONG REPRESENTATIONS TO THE GATT ON TEXTILES

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IN A STATEMENT TODAY, ME. LAWRENCE MILLS, DIRECTOR OF TRADE, SAID THAT HE WAS SATISFIED WITH THE OUTCOME OF THE DISCUSSION IN THE GATT COUNCIL OF HONG KONG'S COMPLATET AGAINST NORWAY.

WHO

HR. TSAO, COUNCILLOR, HONG KONG AFFAIRS, GENEVA, REPRESENTED HONG KONG AT THE GATT COUNCIL MEETING, POINTED OUT THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT HONG KONG HAD BROUGHT THE MATTER EEFORE THE GATT COUNCIL AND HAD DONE SO WITH GREAT RELUCTANCE.

+THIS IS CERTAINLY TRUE AND WE WERE PARTICULARLY SORRY THAT OUR DISPUTE SHOULD HAVE BEEN WITH A COUNTRY WITH WHICH HONG KONG HAS A LONG TRADING TRADITION,+ MR. MILLS SAID.

THE GATT COUNCIL AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

+THE COUNCIL REQUESTED NORWAY AND THE UNITED KINGDOM ON BEHALF OF HONG KONG TO PURSUE THEIR BILATERAL CONSULTATIONS UNDER ARTICLE XXIII. 1 ON THIS MATTER FOR A FURTHER PERIOD. THE COUNCIL AGREED THAT IF THESE CONSULTATIONS DID NOT LEAD TO A MUTUALLY SATISFACTORY SOLUTION, AN APPROPRIATE PROCE- DURE FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE HONG KONG COMPLAINT UNDER ARTICLE XX111.2 WOULD BE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PANEL. COUNCIL AUTHORISED ITS CHAIRMAN TO TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PANEL IF THE MATTER HAD NOT BEEN SETTLED SATISFACTORILY ON THE PROPOSED BILATERAL EASIS EY JUNE 30, 1979.

THE TERMS OF REFERENCE OF SUCH A PANEL WOULD BE AS FOLLOWS:

THE

'TO EXAMINE, IN THE LIGHT OF THE RELEVANT GATT PROVISIONS, THE MATTER REFERRED TO THE CONTRACTING PARTIES BY THE UNITED KINGDOM ACTING ON BEHALF OF HONG KONG, RELATING TO IMPORTS BY NORWAY OF CERTAIN TEXTILE PRODUCTS FROM HONG KONG, AND TO MAKE SUCH FINDINGS AS WILL ASSIST THE CONTRACTING PARTIES IN MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS OR RULINGS, AS PROVIDED FOR IN ARTICLE XX111,2' +

MR. MILLS SAID THAT HE ALREADY HAD PLANS TO TRAVEL TO BRUSSELS, LONDON AND GENEVA LATER THIS MONTH AND HE WOULD NOW EE MAKING URGENT CONTACT WITH THE NORWEGIAN AUTHORITIES IN AN EFFORT TO FIND A MUTUALLY CONVENIENT TIME AND PLACE FOR THE RESUMPTION OF CONSULTATIONS AS REQUESTED BY THE GATT COUNCIL.

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