XN000022-1984-09-05 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, SEPTELSER 5, 1984

SEPTEMBER 18 MORNING HAS BEEN SET FOR THE GROUP TO HEAR REPRESENTATIONS, AT ROOM 150, 1/F., MAIN WING, CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES, LOWER ALBERT ROAD. SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETATION FACILITIES WILL BE PROVIDED.

MR CHEONG ADDED THAT AFTER EXAMINING THE CMB REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE WORK, THE GROUP +WILL BE LOOKING INTO THE PRACTICES, METHODS AND PROCÉDURES OF THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE ROAD-WORTHINESS AND FITNESS INSPECTION OF OMNIBUSES.+

AT THAT TIME, THE GROUP WILL ALSO BE INTERESTED TO HEAR PUBLIC REPRESENTATIONS ON THAT ASPECT, HE SAID.

MR CHEONG SAID THAT THE IDENTITIES OF PEOPLE WHO CAME FORWARD TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS WOULD NOT BE DISCLOSED IF THEY WISHED THIS.

U.S. TEXTILE ACTION CRITICISED

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IN A THREE-HOUR FORMAL SESSION IN GENEVA ON THE AFTERNOON OF SEPTEMBER 4, THE GATT TEXTILES COMMITTEE CONSIDERED THE UNITED STATES COUNTRY OF ORIGIN REGULATIONS AND THE COUNTERVAILING DUTY PETITIONS AGAINST 13 SUPPLIERS OF TEXTILES AND GARMENTS.

OF THE 26 DELEGATIONS WHICH SPOKE, THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY WERE HIGHLY CRITICAL OF THESE MEASURES. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE U.S., EACH DELEGATION CONSIDERED EITHER THAT THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN RÉGULATIONS SHOULD BE WITHDRAWN OR THAT AT LEAST THEY SHOULD BE POSTPONED TO ENABLE THEM TO BE RECONSIDERED. NOT ONE DELEGATION SUPPORTED THE U.S. POSITION.

THE CONCLUSIONS OF THE MEETING ADOPTED ON SEPTEMBER 5 REFLECTED THE COMMON VIEW THAT THE U.S.MEASURES WERE AT VARIANCE WITH THE INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS OF THE U.S. AND THAT THE U.S. SHOULD NOT PROCEED WITH THEM, BUT INSTEAD SEEK TO ADDRESS ITS PROBLEMS, IF ANY, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE EXISTING PROVISIONS OF THE GATT, THE MFA OR THE BILATERAL AGREEMENTS.

MR HAMISH MACLEOD, HONG KONG'S DIRECTOR OF TRADE, COMMENTED THAT: +THE LARGE NUMBER OF DELEGATIONS WHICH SPOKE, REPRESENTING BOTH DEVELOPED AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, IMPORTERS AND EXPORTERS, AND THE FACT THAT THEY ALL TO A GREATER OR LESSER EXTENT CRITICISED THE U.S. REGULATIONS WILL SEND AN UNMISTAKABLE MESSAGE TO WASHINGTON.

+ IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN HOW THE U.S. WILL RESPOND TO THIS GENERAL EXPRESSION OF INTERNATIONAL DISAPPROVAL FROM ITS TRADING PARTNERS. WE SHALL NOW BE CONSIDERING HONG KONG'S NEXT STEP, BUT, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE TEXTILES COMMITTEE IS TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE AGAIN ON OCTOBER 17, 1984, + HE SAID.

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