XN000022-1986-02-21 — Page 2

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1986

SIR WILLIAM HARDING TO VISIT HK

*****

THE DEPUTY UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE AT THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE, SIR WILLIAM HARDING, WILL VISIT HONG KONG FROM FEBRUARY 23 TO 26 AS PART OF HIS TOUR OF THE FAR EAST.

WHILE IN HONG KONG, SIR WILLIAM WILL HOLD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE GOVERNOR AND SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF UMELCO, HE WILL VISIT THE BOWRING CLOSED CENTRE FOR VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AND TWO URBAN DISTRICTS.

HIS

SIR WILLIAM LAST VISITED HONG KONG IN NOVEMBER 1984. PRESENT TOUR WILL COVER NEW DELHI AND CHINA APART FROM HONG KONG.

U.S. ASKS FOR TEXTILE TALKS *****

THE UNITED STATES HAS ASKED HONG KONG TO ENTER BILATERAL DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING HONG KONG'S TEXTILE EXPORTS TO THE STATES, THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR HAMISH MACLEOD, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

THE REQUEST WAS CONVEYED YESTERDAY (THURSDAY) IN WASHINGTON TO THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR E.P. HO, BY AMBASSADOR

THE UNITED CHARLES CARLISLE, THE CHIEF TEXTILES NEGOTIATOR IN STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE'S OFFICE.

+THE TEXTILES ADVISORY BOARD WILL BE MEETING TOMORROW TO DISCUSS THIS DEVELOPMENT AND SUCH OTHER RELATED INFORMATION AS IS AVAILABLE,+ MR MACLEOD SAID.

+CLEARLY THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE WITH POSSIBLE IMPLICATIONS ALSO FOR THE MFA NEGOTIATIONS. WE SHALL BE ASSESSING THE POSITION VERY CAREFULLY.+

MR HO IS IN WASHINGTON HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH SENIOR OFFICIALS AND POLITICIANS AND PARTICIPATING IN THE ACTIVITIES OF THE HONG KONG-UNITED STATES ECONOMIC COOPERATION COMMITTEE.

/2