XN000022-1985-07-28 — Page 2

SUNDAY, JULY 28, 1985

'GOOD RESULT AT FIRST JLG MEETING'

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SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR E.P. HO, SAID TODAY (SUNDAY) THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT LIAISON GROUP HAD A GOOD RESULT IN ITS FIRST MEETING BECAUSE BOTH SIDES HAD ADOPTED THE ATTITUDE OF MAINTAINING HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY AND STABILITY.

LONDON

MR HO ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BRITISH SIDE OF THE JLG, WAS SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AT THE AIRPORT ON HIS RETURN FROM LONDON AFTER ATTENDING THE FIRST JLG MEETING.

HE SAID: +AS YOU KNOW FROM THE PRESS COMMUNIQUE THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL MEETING IN LONDON AND THE ATMOSPHERE WAS VERY FRIENDLY AND COOPERATIVE.

+ I THINK IT WAS ENTIRELY DUE TO THE FACT THAT BOTH SIDES HAVE ADOPTED THE ATTITUDE OF MAINTAINING HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY AND STABILITY THAT WE HAVE SUCH A GOOD ATMOSPHERE AND A GOOD RESULT.+

ASKED IF ANYTHING HAD COME UP IN THE MEETING REGARDING HONG KONG'S FUTURE STATUS IN MFA AND GATT, MR HO SAID: +AS THE ANNOUNCEMENT HAS SAID, WE WILL CONTINUE WITH THIS WORK. BEEN VERY USEFUL EXCHANGES.

THERE HAVE

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION ON WHETHER THE UK WOULD APPROACH THE GATT TO ENABLE HONG KONG TO BECOME AN INDEPENDENT ECONOMIC TERRITORY SO THAT HONG KONG COULD MAINTAIN ITS RIGHT IN THE GATT, MR HO POINTED OUT THAT THE JOINT DECLARATION HAD ALREADY STATED THAT BOTH SIDES COULD DISCUSS THE BEST WAY TO MAINTAIN HONG KONG'S STATUS IN GATT AND MFA AFTER 1997.

ASKED IF THE MEETING HAD DISCUSSED WAYS OF ALLOWING HONG KONG TO DEAL WITH INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS UNDER THE NAME BRITAIN- HONG KONG DURING THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD, HE SAID THE DISCUSSION WAS ON HOW TO MAINTAIN HONG KONG'S PRESENT STATUS.

ASKED IF AN ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BE MADE ON PROGRESS OF THE FIRST MEETING OF THE JLG BEFORE ITS SECOND MEETING IN NOVEMBER, MR HO SAID THAT AN ANNOUNCEMENT WOULD BE MADE IF THERE WAS ANYTHING TO BE ANNOUNCED.

MR HO ALSO TOLD REPORTERS THAT ALTHOUGH THE JLG MEETING HAD FINISHED ON THURSDAY, THERE HAD BEEN AN IMPORTANT MEETING IN GENEVA ON JULY 23 OF THE TEXTILES COMMITTEE OF THE GATT AT WHICH HONG KONG WAS REPRESENTED BY MR HAMISH MACLEOD, DIRECTOR OF TRADE AND MR MICHAEL CARTLAND, COUNSELLOR (HONG KONG AFFAIRS) OF HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE IN GENEVA.

/+HAMISH IS