XN000022-1978-11-24 — Page 4

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1978

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FURTHER TEXTILE TACKS WITH THE USA AND THE EEC

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THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR. LAWRENCE MILLS, ANNOUNCED TODAY (FRIDAY) THAT HE WOULD BE LEAVING WITH A HONG KONG DELEGATION ON SUNDAY (NOVEMBER 26) FOR FURTHER TEXTILE TALKS IN WASHINGTON AND BRUSSELS.

+THESE TALKS WILL BE A CONTINUATION OF THOSE WE HAVE BEEN HAVING WITH THE UNITED STATES AUTHORITIES AND WITH THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES DURING THE COURSE OF THIS YEAR ON THE IMPLEMENTATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF OUR TWO BILATERAL TEXTILE RESTRAINT AGREEMENTS WITH THEM, MR. MILLS SAID.

HE ADDED THAT THE FIRST +TEXTILE YEAR+ OF EACH OF THE AGREEMENTS ENDS ON DECEMBER 31. THE HONG KONG TEAM WOULD BE SEEKING TO CLEAR THE DECKS+ SO THAT ALL OUTSTANDING ISSUES WHICH WERE MAINLY OF A TECHNICAL NATURE, WOULD BE SETTLED BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF THE SECOND TEXTILE YEAR ON JANUARY 1, 1979.

OTHER MEMBERS OF THE HONG KONG DELEGATION WILL BE MR. JUSTIN YUE, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, TEXTILES CONTROLS DIVISION- MR. P.C. LEUNG, PRINCIPAL TRADE OFFICER IN THE DEPARTMENT'S CERTIFICATION OF ORIGIN DIVISION AND MR. K.C. KWONG, TRADE OFFICER.

THE HONG KONG DELEGATION WILL BE JOINED IN WASHINGTON BY MR. R.B. CROWSON, COUNSELLOR (HONG KONG COMMERCIAL AFFAIRS) AND IN BRUSSELS BY MR. C.B. BURGESS, MINISTER FOR HONG KONG COMMERCIAL RELATIONS WITH THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES AND THE MEMBER STATES, AND MR. NICHOLAS YEK, FIRST SECRETARY.

MR. MILLS WILL ALSO HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE HONG KONG COMMISSIONER IN LONDON, MR. DENIS BRAY.

MR. MILLS SAID THAT HE WOULD ALSO BE SEEING MR. PETER TSAO, COUNSELLOR, HONG KONG AFFAIRS IN GENEVA FOR AN UP-TO-DATE BRIEFING ON THE MULTILATERAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS AND MIGHT STAY ON IN GENEVA IF THESE APPEAR TO BE REACHING A CONCLUSION BY DECEMBER 15.

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