XN000022-1985-06-26 — Page 34

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WEINESDAY, JUNE 26, 1985

+AT THE SAME TIME, KEY MAJOR COMPANIES IN HONG KONG ARE BEING URGED TO INFLUENCE THE SITUATION THROUGH THEIR LOBBYISTS AND HIGH-LEVEL CONTACTS IN THE UNITED STATES.

+HONG KONG ALSO MAINTAINS DIRECT COMMUNICATIONS WITH KEY U.S. OFFICIALS AND POLITICIANS. AS A MATTER OF FACT, MR ERIC HO WAS IN WASHINGTON LAST WEEK TO SEE SENIOR OFFICIALS AND MEMBERS OF THE CONGRESS WITH A VIEW TO INFLUENCING THEIR THINKING. IN ALL THIS THE ACTIVITIES OF OUR TWO LOBBYISTS AND OUR OFFICES IN NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON ARE CRUCIAL, HE ADDED.

SECONDLY, HONG KONG PARTICIPATED ACTIVELY IN INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS TO STÉM THE TIDE, THE LATEST MANIFESTATION OF WHICH WAS A JOINT STATEMENT BY THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AT THE GATT COUNCIL MEETING ON JUNE 5, CONDEMNING THE THURMOND-JENKINS BILL AS PRESSURE TACTICS APPLIED BY UNITED STATES DOMESTIC TEXTILE INTERESTS ON THE EVE OF MULTILATERAL NEGOTIATIONS, IN DIRECT CONTRADICTION WITH UNITED STATES' COMMITMENTS UNDER THE MULTIFIBRE ARRANGEMENT, THE BILATERAL AGREEMENTS AND THE GATT MINISTERIAL DECLARATION.

AS REGARD THE INCREASE IN THE STRENGTH AND EFFECTIVENESS OF HONG KONG'S REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE IN WASHINGTON, MR GREWAL SAID THAT ARRANGEMENTS WERE IN HAND TO AUGMENT THE WASHINGTON OFFICE AT APPROPRIATE LEVEL.

+THE PRINCIPAL DIFFICULTY IN THE WAY OF PROVIDING ADDITIONAL STAFF HAS BEEN A SHORTAGE OF FUNDS AS NO PROVISION WAS MADE IN THE CURRENT ESTIMATES.

+HOWEVER, SAVINGS ARE ANTICIPATED ELSEWHERE WHICH SHOULD ENABLE THE NECESSARY STAFF TO BE PROVIDED, HE SAID,

+AS AN INTERIM MEASURE, THE POSSIBILITY OF PROVIDING RELIEF THROUGH REDEPLOYMENT OF EXISTING RESOURCES FROM OTHER OFFICES IS BEING EXAMINED WITH A VIEW TO POSTING STAFF TO WASHINGTON AS SOON AS THIS CAN BE ARRANGED, HE ADDED.

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