XN000022-1985-12-27 — Page 8

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1985

IT POINTED OUT THAT FOR THE PERIOD 1973 TO 1984 AS A WHOLE THE ANNUAL RATE OF GROWTH OF IMPORTS INTO THE UNITED STATES HAD BEEN SIX PER CENT, HOWEVER, MARKED RISE IN IMPORT SEEMED TO LE A FEATURE OF THE PAST.

ONLY 0.5 PER

IMPORTS FROM THE HAD DECLINED

IMPORTS IN THE FIRST NINE MONTHS OF 1985 WERE CENT HIGHER THAN THE CORRESPONDING PERIOD IN 1984. DEVELOPING MFA COUNTRIES (WHICH ARE ALL RESTRAINED) BY THREE PER CENT WHILE THOSE FROM WESTERN EUROPE CONTINUED TO INCREASE BY 20 PER CENT.

THE STATEMENT ALSO STRESSED THAT THE EFFICACY OF ANY INTERNATIONAL RULES DEPENDS UPON THE IR FAITHFUL OBSERVANCE BY ALL MEMBERS AND A WILLINGNESS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE DIFFICULTIES AND THE INTERESTS OF THE OTHERS.

+THE REPORT SEEMS TO SUGGEST THAT THE UNITED STATES SHOULD ACT WITH IMPUNITY IRRESPECTIVE OF THE RULES AND IN DISREGARD OF THE INTERESTS OF HER TRADING PARTNERS.

+OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT EVERY COUNTRY HAS TO FUNCTION WITHIN THE AGREED FRAMEWORK AND EXERCISE ITS RIGHTS WITH DUE CONSIDERATIONS FOR ITS OBLIGATIONS, THE STATEMENT CONCLUDED.

A TRADE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES (LDC) STATEMENT WAS HELPFUL TO CORRECT MIS-INTERPRETATIONS OF FACTS AND RESULTANT MISLEADING CONCLUSIONS IN THE U.S. REPORT.

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STEPS TAKEN TO EASE CHINA FERRY RUSH

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TO EASE CONGESTION. THE FORMER MACAU FERRY TERMINAL IN CENTRAL WILL BE UTILISED FROM MID-JANUARY 1986 FOR 50 PER CENT OF THE CHINA FERRY SERVICES CURRENTLY OPERATING FROM THE TAI KOK TSUI CHINA FERRY TERMINAL.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (FRIDAY) THAT THIS WAS BEING DONE AS AN INTER IM MEASURE, PENDING COMPLETION OF THE NEW CHINA FERRY TERMINAL IN CANTON ROAD AROUND DECEMBER, 1987.

SERVICES AT THE TAI KOK TSUI TERMINAL HAVE GROWN SO MUCH SINCE IT STARTED OPERATION IN 1978 THAT ADDITIONAL FACILITIES ARE NECESSARY TO RELIEVE THE SEVERE OVER-CROWD ING AT PEAK PERIODS, HE SAID.

TOTAL TRAFFIC HAD RISEN FROM LITTLE MORE THAN 400 000 PASSENGERS IN 1980 TO ALMOST 1.6 MILLION IN 1984, HE SAID.

+MEASURES ARE NOW IN HAND TO BRING THIS TEMPORARY HONG KONG- CHINA TERMINAL INTO OPERATION IN MID-JANUARY, WHICH WILL ALLOW TIME FOR ANY OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS TO BE RESOLVED BEFORE THE PASSENGER PEAKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CHINESE NEW YEAR.

/+AMONG VARIOUS