XN000022-1979-11-08 — Page 2

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1979

4TH ROUND US/HK TEXTILE TALKS IN WASHINGTON ****

THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS, MR WILLIAM DORWARD, WILL MEET THE UNITED STATES SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR TRADE, MR REUBEN ASKEW, IN WASHINGTON NEXT THURSDAY (NOVEMBER 15).

THIS MOVE FOLLOWS A FURTHER INCONCLUSIVE ROUND OF CONSULTATIONS BETWEEN THE HONG KONG AND US DELEGATIONS IN GENEVA LAST WEEK ON THE CURRENT H.K./US TEXTILE AGREEMENT.

+BOTH MR ASKEW AND I CAME INDEPENDENTLY TO THE VIEW THAT THE MEETING WOULD BE USEFUL TO SEE IF WE COULD FIND A FRAMEWORK IN WHICH THE CONSULTATIONS COULD BE RESUMED, SAID MR DORWARD.

AT A MEETING OF THE TEXTILES ADVISORY BOARD TODAY (THURSDAY) THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR PETER TSAO REPORTED THAT DESPITE THE INCONCLUSIVE OUTCOME OF THE GENEVA TALKS, BOTH SIDES MAD INDICATED THEIR WILLINGNESS TO MEET AT A FUTURE DATE.

THE FIVE-YEAR AGREEMENT TOOK EFFECT FROM THE BEGINNING OF 1978, BUT LATER THAT YEAR THE UNITED STATES ASKED FOR, AND HONG KONG AGREED TO, CERTAIN SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR 1979.

THIS YEAR THE UNITED STATES SOUGHT FURTHER UNDERSTANDINGS RELATING TO ARRANGEMENTS FOR 1980. SO FAR, THREE ROUNDS OF CONSULTATIONS HAD BEEN HELD IN MANILA, HONG KONG AND GENEVA.

FOREST RANGERS MAKE FIRST ARREST. ******

THE NEWLY-FORMED FOREST RANGER TEAMS OF THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT HAVE ARRESTED A TOTAL OF 15 YOUTHS FOR ILLEGALLY STARTING FIRES AND CARRYING FIRE ARMS IN THE COUNTRYSIDE.

THE ARRESTS, THE FIRST BY THE FOREST RANGERS, WERE MADE DURING THE WEEKEND IN THE TAI LAM CHUNG COUNTRY PÁRK.

A GROUP OF 13 YOUTHS WERE ARRESTED BY THE RANGERS AT YUEN TUN, NEAR TSING LUNG TAU, FOR LIGHTING A BARBECUE FIRE OUTSIDE A DESIGNATED SITE.

AND ANOTHER TWO YOUTHS WERE ARRESTED FOR CARRYING AIR GUNS ALONG THE PAT HEUNG CATCHWATER.

ALL WERE SUMMONED TO APPEAR IN COURT FOR CONTRAVENING THE COUNTRY PARKS ORDINANCE.

CHIEF FOREST