XN000022-1989-03-11 — Page 2

SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 1989

CALL FOR PHASING OUT OF OZONE-DEPLETING SUBSTANCES

THE LONDON CONFERENCE ON SAVING THE OZONE LAYER HAD BEEN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL IN DRAWING FIRM COMMITMENTS TO THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL FROM A VERY HIGH PROPORTION OF THE PARTICIPANTS, THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, MR GRAHAM BARNES, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

MR BARNES WAS SPEAKING AT HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON HIS RETURN FROM THE LONDON CONFERENCE, IN WHICH HE LEAD A DELEGATION FROM HONG KONG.

ELICITED A BROAD

HE SAID THE MEETING SUCCESSFULLY

CONSENSUS THAT THE PROTOCOL ITSELF WAS INADEQUATE AND THAT THE 100 PER CENT PHASE-OUT OF OZONE-DEPLETING SUBSTANCES MUST BE ACCELERATED IF THE OZONE LAYER WAS TO BE SAVED.

"IT IS CLEAR, HOWEVER, THAT THERE WILL BE SOME EXTREMELY TOUGH BARGAINING AT THE CONFERENCE IN HELSINKI, THE FIRST FORMAL MEETING OF CONTRACTING PARTIES TO THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL TO REVIEW THE PROTOCOL PROVISIONS, AND SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSIONS BY DEVELOPING NATIONS OVER THE BURDEN OF COMPLIANCE.

"HOWEVER, PARTICIPANTS SEEMED VERY OPTIMISTIC THAT AN BVEN WIDER AGREEMENT WILL BE ACHIEVED, MR BARNES SAID.

I

THE HONG KONG DELEGATION WAS DEEPLY IMPRESSED BY THE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE PRODUCED DURING THE CONFERENCE ON THE DAMAGING EFFECTS OF CHLOROFLUOROCARBONS (CFC'S) AND HALONS ON THE OZONE LAYER AND THE DEGREE OF COMMITMENT TO THE PHASING OUT OF THOSR OZONE-DEPLETING SUBSTANCES.

"WE TOO MUST CONSIDER A PHASE-OUT OF OZONE-DEPLETING SUBSTANCES IN HONG KONG AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE," MR BARNES SAID.

HE ADDED THAT A HIGH PRIORITY MEASURE MAY BE THE ELIMINATION OF ALREADY BANNED IN NORTH AMERICA, AND EUROPE SHORTLY.

AND A REASON...LY PRACTICABLE CFC-BASED AEROSOLS, WHICH ARE ARE LIKELY TO BE DANNED IN

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