XN000022-1982-06-02 — Page 34

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 1982

EEC URGED BY HK TO HONOUR MEA OBLIGATIONS

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+HONG KONG HAS URGED THE EEC TO HONOUR FULLY ITS OBLIGATION ARISING FROM THE MFA,+ THE COMMISSIONER OF TRADE, MR LAWRENCE MILLS, SAID IN BRUSSELS, FOLLOWING THE OPENING ON TUESDAY (JUNE 1) OF

THE NEGOTIATIONS ON RENEWAL OF THE HONG KONG/EEC BILATERAL AGREEMENT ON TEXTILES.

+ HONG KONG MUST ENSURE THAT THE RIGHTS IT ACQUIRED IN THE MFA RENEWAL NEGOTIATIONS ARE EFFECTIVELY PRESERVED AND REFLECTED IN ANY AGREEMENT THAT IT MAY REACH WITH THE EEC.

+HONG KONG IS NOT, THEREFORE, PREPARED TO RE-OPEN ISSUES WHICH WERE EXHAUSTIVELY DISCUSSED IN GENEVA DURING THE MULTILATERAL NEGOTIATIONS AND FINALLY SETTLED IN THE PROTOCOL OF EXTENSION OF THE MFA,+ HE SAID.

THESE BILATERAL NEGOTIATIONS ARE BEING HELD UNDER ARTICLE 4 OF THE MULTIFIBRE ARRANGEMENT (MFA) AS EXTENDED BY THE PROTOCOL OF DECEMBER 22, 1981, AND HAVING REGARD TO THE EXCHANGE OF LETTERS BETWEEN DR H. KRENZLER, THE EEC'S CHIEF TEXTILE NEGOTIATOR, AND MR MILLS IN GENEVA ON DECEMBER 21, 1981.

MR MILLS POINTED OUT THAT THERE APPEARED TO BE A MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE PURPOSE AND CONTENT OF THESE LETTERS. HONG KONG HAD MADE IT CLEAR THAT IT COULD NOT ACCEPT CUTBACKS ON ITS QUOTAS.

+NEVERTHELESS, MR MILLS SAID, HONG KONG IS READY TO SHOW GOODWILL IN FINDING A MUTUALLY ACCEPTABLE ARRANGEMENT LEADING TO SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS WHICH THE EEC CAN SHOW TO HONG KONG'S SATISFACTION DO EXIST, AND WHERE IT CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT SUCH PROBLEMS ARE CAUSED BY HONG KONG.

+BUT,+ MR MILLS WENT ON, NEITHER THIS EXPRESSION OF GOODWILL, NOR THE WORDING OF PARAGRAPH 6 OF THE PROTOCOL IN ANY WAY IMPLY THAT THE SOLUTIONS ENVISAGED BY THE EEC IPSO FACTO HAVE TO BE ACCEPTED OR, INDEED, THAT SOLUTIONS HAVE TO CONFORM WITH ANY PARTICULAR FORMAT, OTHER THAN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE MFA.+

PLB CLEARWAY ON CHAI WAN ROAD ****

FROM 10 AM ON FRIDAY (JUNE 4), THE SECTION OF THE SOUTHBOUND CARRIAGEWAY OF CHAI WAN ROAD NEAR LOK MAN ROAD WILL BE DESIGNATED AS A PUBLIC LIGHT BUS CLEARWAY.

PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO STOP FOR PASSENGERS OR GOODS WITHIN THE SECTION FROM 7 AM TO 12 MIDNIGHT DAILY.

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