XN000022-1992-12-10 — Page 4

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1992

HK WELCOMES MFA EXTENSION

OF

THE IMPORTERS

MR DONALD TSANG, THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF TRADE,

THE WELCOMED THAT

EXTENSION HE (THURSDAY) ARRANGEMENT (MFA) AGREED UPON BY EXPORTERS AND THE GATT TEXTILES COMMITTEE YESTERDAY IN GENEVA.

"THE PROTOCOL OF EXTENSION, ON WHICH HONG KONG

WILL RUN FOR 12 EXPORTERS HAD WORKED HARD TO CONCLUDE, JANUARY 1, 1993 AND WILL BRING CERTAINTY TO THE TRADE IN HE SAID.

SAID TODAY

MULTI-FIBRE SITTING IN

AND OTHER KEY MONTHS FROM HONG KONG,"

OF THE PRESENT THE PROTOCOL, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY A ROLLOVER

A MULTILATERAL FRAMEWORK TO COVER ALL ARRANGEMENTS, WILL PROVIDE EXISTING BILATERAL DEALS

RECENTLY RE-NEGOTIATED

THE AND

AUSTRIAN BILATERAL BILATERAL WITH THE EC NEGOTIATED.

INCLUDING THE

CURRENTLY

BEING

OF

TEXTILES

THE EXTENSION IS NECESSARY TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN EXPIRY

THE COMING INTO EFFECT OF THE THE PRESENT PROTOCOL AND AGREEMENT UNDER THE URUGUAY ROUND.

HAS YET ΤΟ BE EXTENSION

"IT IS TO BE REGRETTED THAT THE URUGUAY ROUND CONCLUDED AS THIS WOULD HAVE REMOVED THE NEED FOR A FURTHER TO THE MFA.

"I SHOULD LIKE TO

THIS TAKE

OPPORTUNITY TO

RE-AFFIRM HONG

KONG'S COMMITMENT TO AN EARLY AND SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION TO THE ROUND.

"HONG KONG

WILL CONTINUE

то

PLAY AN

AND ACTIVE

TO PROCESS IN GENEVA", MR TSANG

ROLE

POSITIVELY ASSIST IN THE NEGOTIATING SAID.

MEMBERSHIP

OF

THE

TEXTILES

COMMITTEE

CONSISTS

REPRESENTATIVES OF PARTIES TO THE MFA, INCLUDING HONG KONG, MR DUNKEL, DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE GATT, IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE.

OF ARTHUR TEXTILES

A PLEDGE OF SERVING COMMUNITY

A ROUND-THE-CLOCK PUBLIC TELEPHONE HOTLINE SERVICE (882 2345) AND A PATIENT RELATIONS UNIT ARE NOW IN SERVICE TO CO-ORDINATE THE INVESTIGATIONS OF COMPLAINTS AND TO ENSURE EXPEDITIOUS REPLIES TO INDIVIDUALS, THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH, DR S A LEE, SAID TODAY

(THURSDAY).

THE

SPEAKING AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TO ELABORATE ON THE "SERVING COMMUNITY" SCHEME, DR LEE SAID THE PROGRAMME SET OUT THE DEPARTMENT'S PERFORMANCE PLEDGES IN THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC.

/DR LEE