XN000022-1989-10-10 — Page 6

5

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1989

(TUESDAY) EXCHANGE

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRADE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY THAT THE MEETING WOULD OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MINISTERS TO VIEWS INFORMALLY ON THE URUGUAY ROUND NEGOTIATION SINCE THEY LAST FORMALLY IN MONTREAL LAST DECEMBER TO CONDUCT THE MID-TERM THE URUGUAY ROUND.

MET

REVIEW OF

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE MEETING WAS TIMELY AS UNDER A THEIR THREE-PHASE WORK PROGRAMME, PARTICIPANTS WOULD NEED TO COMPLETE

END OF PROPOSALS IN THE VARIOUS NEGOTIATING GROUPS BY THE

THE YEAR WHICH ALSO MARKED THE END OF THE FIRST PHASE.

"THE SECOND PHASE WILL START IN JANUARY 1990 AND PARTICIPANTS WILL HAVE UNTIL AUGUST 1990 TO NEGOTIATE ON THE PROPOSALS SUBMITTED.

"THEREAFTER THE THIRD AND FINAL PHASE WILL SEE THE DRAFTING THE VARIOUS AGREEMENTS TO BE ENDORSED BY MINISTERS AT THE END URUGUAY ROUND IN NOVEMBER 1990, HE SAID.

OF

OF THE

THE

THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT HONG KONG WAS PARTICIPATING FOR

INFORMAL FIRST TIME AT SUCH

MEETINGS AT THE INVITATION OF THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT.

"THIS IS AN EXPRESSION OF RECOGNITION OF HONG KONG'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE URUGUAY ROUND NEGOTIATIONS," HE SAID.

THE OTHER

GOVERNMENT

IMPORTANT

OFFICIALS IN THE DELEGATION ARE THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF TRADE, MR MICHAEL SZE; HONG KONG'S PERMANENT CHIEF HONG REPRESENTATIVE TO THE GATT, MR KEITH BROADBRIDGE; AND THE KONG ECONOMIC AND TRADE REPRESENTATIVE IN TOKYO, MR LEE LAP-SUN.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

MEDIA HONG KONG

REPRESENTATIVES ARE WELCOME TO COVER THE MEETING IN INFORMAL MINISTERIAL

TOKYO AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE BUT

OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ACCREDITATION BY THE JAPANESE MINISTRY REQUIRED.

AND

WILL BE

THOSE WISHING TO COVER THIS EVENT ARE REQUESTED TO CONTACT PRINCIPAL INFORMATION OFFICER OF THE TRADE

INDUSTRY BRANCH, DANIEL SIN, ON TEL. 3-7372227 BEFORE 5 PM ON FRIDAY (OCTOBER 13).

THE

MR

/6