XN000022-1985-05-14 — Page 4

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JUEN XX, MAY 14, 1985

+WE CAN ONLY ADVISE THE TRADE THAT SHIPMENTS OF MFA SWEATERS TO THE UNITED STATES WILL BE CONSIDERED BY U.S. CUSTOMS ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.+

THIS ADVICE WAS CONTAINED IN A NOTICE TO EXPORTERS.

THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT, IN HONG KONG, ORIGIN ARRANGEMENTS FOR SWEATERS WOULD REMAIN AS SPECIFIED IN THE DEPARTMENT'S CERTIFICATE OF ORIGIN CIRCULAR ISSUED ON JULY 2, 1984.

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'GOOD MFA INTENTIONS NOT REALISED'

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THE GOOD INTENTIONS OF THE MULTI-FIBRE ARRANGEMENT HAD NOT BEEN REALISED, THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR E.P. HO TOLD JOURNALISTS IN BRUSSELS TODAY (TUESDAY).

DOMESTIC INDUSTRIES IN EUROPE HAD NOT NECESSARILY BENEFITED, AND THE +ORDERLY GROWTH OF THE TEXTILE TRADE+ IN FAVOUR OF THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES HAD NOT TAKEN PLACE, HE SAID.

MR HO IS ON A TOUR OF EUROPEAN CAPITALS FOR INFORMAL TALKS WITH SENIOR TRADE AND OTHER OFFICIALS ON THE FUTURE OF THE MULTI- FIBRE ARRANGEMENT MFA-- WHICH IS DUE TO EXPIRE ON JULY 31, 1986.

HONG KONG, MR HO SAID, PRACTISED FREE TRADE, AND BELIEVED THERE WAS NO ALTERNATIVE TO AN OPEN MARKET. IT ALSO PUT NO RESTRICTIONS ON IMPORTS.

ON THE SUBJECT OF THE MEXICO COMMUNIQUE, ISSUED IN APRIL FOLLOWING THE MEETING ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN TEXTILES AND CLOTHING IN MEXICO CITY OF 21 DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES, MR HO SAID HONG KONG WAS HAPPY WITH IT AND WOULD STAND BY IT.

HE SAID THAT ATTEMPTS AT DIVIDING THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES HAD BEEN NOTED AT THE MEETING, AND THAT HONG KONG FOR ONE WAS NOT FALLING FOR IT AND HAD NO INTENTION OF +GOING IT ALONE+.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION ON WHAT HONG KONG WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN A NEW MFA, MR HO SAID THAT IT WAS FOR THE IMPORTING DEVELOPED COUNTRIES TO MAKE THE CASE FOR ANY SUCH PROVISION, GIVEN THE COMMITMENT TO LIBERALISATION OF TRADE IN TEXTILES IN THE MINISTERIAL DECLARATION IN GENEVA IN NOVEMBER, 1982.

HONG KONG, MR HO SAID, WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO AN ENLIGHTENED APPROACH, ESPECIALLY FROM THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY.

ASKED ABOUT POSSIBLE CUT BACK OF EXPORTS, MR HO SAID THERE WAS NO CASE WHATEVER FOR ANY REDUCTION: THE AIM OF THE MFA WAS TO PROVIDE FOR AN ORDERLY GROWTH OF TRADE.

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