XN000022-1984-12-21 — Page 23

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1984

MODERATOR: I AM SORRY. SHORTER QUESTIONS?

PLEASE. COULD WE HAVE SLIGHTLY

PRIME MINISTER: I AM NOT QUITE SURE WHAT THE QUESTION WAS GOING TO BE. BUT OUR DUTY IS TO IMPLEMENT THE AGREEMENT

INTO WHICH WE HAVE ENTERED AND TO IMPLEMENT IT TO THE FULL AND WE SHALL DO THAT.

02: KAYSER SUNG, EDITOR TEXTILE ASIA, YOU HAVE SAID IN YOUR STATEMENT THAT HONG KONG'S ABILITY TO RETAIN ITS SEPARATE POSITION WITHIN THE GATT AND MULTI-LATERAL ARRANGEMENTS. HOW CAN THIS BE CARRIED OUT AND WILL THIS

BE RETAINED WITH SEPARATE POSITION. NOW, OF COURSE, HONG KONG IS NOT RETAINING ANY SEPARATE POSITION IN THE GATT. HONG KONG IS REPRESENTED WITHIN THE UK AND WHEN, HOW, THIS, THE FUTURE PATTERN WILL BE?

AND

BY

PRIME MINISTER: THIS IS DEALT WITH IN THE AGREEMENT. HONG KONG, AS YOU INDICATED, NOW IS DEALT WITH SEPARATELY, VIRTUE OF HER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNITED KINGDOM, SHE IS DEALT WITH SEPARATELY. THE SAME ARRANGEMENT WILL CONTINUE. WILL BE DEALT WITH SEPARATELY AFTER THE AGREEMENT - SHE WILL NOT BE DEALT WITH AS THE GENERAL BODY OF CHINA, BUT SEPARATELY.

SHE

(K. SUNG STARTS. MRS THATCHER CONTINUES). ...BUT SHE IS ALSO DEALT WITH SEPARATELY NOW, SO I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM.

K. SUNG: IT IS NOT SEPARATE NOW IT IS......

PRIME MINISTER NO, BUT IT IS DEALT WITH SEPARATELY NOW. IT IS DEALT WITH SPECIALLY AS HONG KONG NOW.

K. SUNG: I SEE. AS FROM NOW HONG KONG WILL BE AN INDEPENDENT GATT MEMBER?

PRIME MINISTER: NO. SHE IS DEALT WITH SEPARATELY UNDER HER PRESENT STATUS. SHE WILL CONTINUE TO BE DEALT WITH SEPARATELY AFTER 1997.

K. SUNG: AFTER 1997. HOW ABOUT THE MULTI-FIBRE ARRANGEMENT, WHEN YOU SAY.

PRIME MINISTER: THAT IS WHY I SAY SHE IS DEALT WITH SEPARATELY NOW UNDER THE ARRANGEMENTS WHICH OBTAIN NOW ALTHOUGH SHE IS A DEPENDENCY OF BRITAIN.

/K. SUNG +

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