XN000022-1989-02-22 — Page 19

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1989

THE NEW NORMAL RATE FOR DISABILITY INSTEAD OF THE EXISTING $560. THE HIGHER RATE $1,240 FROM $1,120.

ALLOWANCE WILL BE $620 WILL BE INCREASED TO

THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE REVISION WOULD BE $279.3

ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE MILLION.

AROSE FROM THE

GATT REMAINS VITAL TO WORLD TRADE

THE FUTURE OF THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS THE PROSPECT OF A MORE UNIFIED EUROPEAN MARKET IN 1992

AND TRADE AND IMPORTANCE TO HONG KONG

ARE OF PRIME INDUSTRY, MR HAMISH MACLEOD, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND

BUSINESSMEN, THE

MR MACLEOD WAS ADDRESSING A LUNCHEON OF THE HONG KONG EXPORTERS' ASSOCIATION AT A LOCAL HOTEL.

HE REJECTED CLAIMS THAT "GATT IS THOSE INVOLVED IN THE GATT DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS TRUE".

DEAD" + SAYING, "MOST OF

DURING

ALTHOUGH THE URUGUAY ROUND APPEARED DIFFICULTIES

TALKS IN MONTREAL IN CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE ON A WIDE

SAID.

סיר

HAVE DECEMBER, RANGE OF

RUN INTO IN FACT, TOPICS, HE

NEGOTIATIONS ON

TEXTILES, BEEN FOR

"MORE COULD HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED IN SAFEGUARDS AND, DEBATABLY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, HAD IT NOT THE BREAKDOWN OVER AGRICULTURE."

THE POSITION THAT NO PROGRESS COULD UNLESS PROGRESS WAS MADE IN ALL, ONE PUT PARTICULARLY STRONGLY BY

BE MADE IN ANY SUBJECT EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY IN THE PAST, HAD BEEN SHOWN TO

THE MR MACLEOD SAID.

BE WRONG,

HE CAUTIONED THAT THERE WERE SHADOWS OVER THE MULTILATERAL INCLUDING EUROPE IN 1992, THE UNITED STATES/CANADA AND OTHER MOVES TOWARDS REGIONAL ECONOMIC

TRADING SYSTEM FREE TRADE AGREEMENT

GROUPINGS.

THERE WAS NO SHORTAGE OF ADVOCATES OF FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE, HE SAID.

"THOSE OUTSIDE FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS

WORSE OFF THAN THOSE INSIDE.

ALTERNATIVE MODELS

OR CUSTOMS UNIONS ARE

"THE DANGER