XN000022-1983-05-02 — Page 5

MONDAY, MAY 2, 1983

4

HONG KONG-NORWAY TEXTILES TALKS ADJOURNED

****

THE NEGOTIATION FOR A BILATERAL TEXTILE AGREEMENT BETWEEN HONG KONG AND NORWAY, WHICH BEGAN IN HONG KONG ON APRIL 21, WERE ADJOURNED THIS MORNING (MONDAY) WITHOUT AN AGREEMENT, ACCORDING TO AN AGREED STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE TWO NEGOTIATING TEAMS.

AT THE MOMENT, HONG KONG'S EXPORTS OF NINE TEXTILE AND GARMENT ITEMS TO NORWAY ARE SUBJECT TO A GLOBAL GATT ARTICLE XIX IMPORT ACTION. THE NORWEGIAN DELEGATION HAVE INDICATED THAT, IF A SATISFACTORY BILATERAL AGREEMENT CAN BE REACHED WITH HONG KONG AND OTHER SUPPLIERS, NORWAY WOULD DISMANTLE THE ARTICLE XIX IMPORT ACTION AND REJOIN THE MULTI-FIBRE ARRANGEMENT.

ALTHOUGH SOME PROGRESS WAS MADE DURING THE TALKS, THERE WAS STILL A WIDE GAP BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES ON A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT ISSUES. THE TWO DELEGATIONS HAVE THEREFORE AGREED TO ADJOURN THE TALKS TO ALLOW BOTH SIDES TO REFLECT ON THEIR RESPECTIVE POSITIONS.

THE TWO SIDES PROVISIONALLY AGREED THAT THE NEGOTIATIONS SHOULD BE RESUMED IN JUNE THIS YEAR.

PROMOTION OF PERFORMING ARTS IN HONG KONG

****

GOVERNMENT IS FULLY AWARE OF THE CONTINUING NEED TO SURVEY AND REVIEW THE CULTURAL SCENE IN HONG KONG AND A NUMBER OF AREAS ARE NOW UNDER CONSIDERATION, THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR RECREATION AND CULTURE (PERFORMING ARTS), MR BENJAMIN TANG SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

MR TANG, WHO WAS ADDRESSING THE ROTARY CLUB OF NEW TERRITORIES ON THE ROLE OF THE RECREATION AND CULTURE DEPARTMENT IN THE PROMOTION OF PERFORMING ARTS, SAID A PROFESSIONAL REPORT ON THE SITUATION OF DRAMA IN HONG KONG HAS BEEN COMPLETED. HE DESCRIBED THE REPORT AS AN IMPORTANT SURVEY FOR IT WILL HELP US TO FORMULATE POLICIES FOR FUTURE SUPPORT FOR DRAMA.+

+ALSO, WE ARE MAKING A PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF THE VISUAL ARTS, HE ADDED.

+MINDFUL TOO, OF THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CLIMATE, WE SEE THE DEVELOPMENT OF BUSINESS SPONSORSHIP FOR THE ARTS AS CRUCIAL IF THE ARTS ARE TO GROW AND CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY, MR TANG SAID.

REFERRING TO THE ROLE OF THE PERFORMING ARTS DIVISION WHICH IS PRIMARILY ONE OF COMMUNITY BUILDING, MR TANG SAID IT AIMS TO INVOLVE AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE IN THE PERFORMING ARTS, BOTH IN TERMS OF PARTICIPATION IN AND OF ENJOYMENT AND APPRECIATION OF THE VARIOUS PERFORMING ARTS FORMS.

/HE CONTINUED: