XN000022-1988-12-10 — Page 3

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1988

UN CONVENTION TO APPLY TO HK

THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT LODGED THE UNITED

KINGDOM'S INSTRUMENT

OF RATIFICATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL, INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT WITH THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS ON DECEMBER 8.

THIS WAS ANNOUNCED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, MR TIM EGGAR, AT THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY COMMEMORATIVE SESSION FOR THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION ON HUMAN RIGHTS.

A HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN CONFIRMED TODAY (SATURDAY) THAT THE CONVENTION WILL BE APPLIED TO HONG KONG ONCE THE NECESSARY LEGISLATION HAS BEEN ENACTED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND IN HONG KONG.

THE SPOKESMAN ENVISAGED THAT THIS WOULD BE DONE IN THE EARLY HALF OF 1989.

GATT IN MONTREAL

H

THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR HAMISH MACLEOD, DESCRIBED AS "DISAPPOINTING THE FAILURE TO REACH FULL AGREEMENT AT THE MID TERM MINISTERIAL MEETING OF THE GATT IN MONTREAL.

"THE URUGUAY ROUND IS ATTEMPTING TO DEAL WITH A FAR WIDER RANGE OF SUBJECTS THAN PREVIOUS ROUNDS. NEGOTIATIONS ARE THEREFORE MORE COMPLEX. AGRICULTURE HAS PROVED THE MAJOR STUMBLING BLOCK THIS TIME, HE SAID.

"DESPITE THIS

TEMPORARY SETBACK, CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS WAS

ACHIEVED IN NEGOTIATIONS ON MANY SUBJECTS.

"FOR EXAMPLE THERE WAS CONSENSUS ON IMPROVEMENTS TO DISPUTE SETTLEMENT PROCEDURES, ON TRADE POLICY SURVEILLANCE, ON TARIFFS AND ALSO ON THE FRAMEWORK OF AN AGREEMENT ON SERVICES.

"ALL OF THIS IS VERY ENCOURAGING AND IS AMPLE EVIDENCE OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE MULTILATERAL SYSTEM," SAID MR MACLEOD.

"OBVIOUSLY, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SEEN MORE PROGRESS ON WAYS IN WHICH TO LIBERALISE TRADE IN TEXTILES AND CLOTHING," HE "BUT THESE TALKS STILL HAVE TWO YEARS TO RUN."

COMMENTED,

/ON THE