XN000022-1994-05-13 — Page 25

FRIDAY, MAY 13, 1994

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AMENDMENTS TO STRATEGIC COMMODITIES CONTROL LIST GAZETTED

LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENTS TO REFLECT UPDATED CONTROLS OF VARIOUS INTERNATIONAL EXPORT CONTROL REGIMES ON STRATEGIC COMMODITIES WERE GAZETTED TODAY (FRIDAY).

THE AMENDMENTS WERE CONTAINED IN THE IMPORT AND EXPORT (STRATEGIC COMMODITIES) REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT OF SCHEDULE

ORDER 1)

1994.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRADE DEPARTMENT EXPLAINED THAT THE AMENDMENTS TO SCHEDULE 1 OF THE REGULATIONS REFLECTED CERTAIN SIGNIFICANT RELAXATION OF CONTROLS ON ELECTRONICS, COMPUTERS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT INTRODUCED BY THE CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE MULTILATERAL EXPORT CONTROLS (COCOM) BEFORE ITS DISSOLUTION ON MARCH 31, 1994.

FOR

FOR EXAMPLE, UNDER THE AMENDMENTS, COMPUTERS THAT OPERATE UP TO 260 MILLION THEORETICAL OPERATIONS PER SECOND (NTOPS) WOULD NO LONGER BE CONTROLLED.

REGINE

"COCOM MEMBERS ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO ESTABLISH A NEW AIMED AT ENHANCING TRANSPARENCY AND RESTRAINT IN ARMS SALES AND TRANSFERS OF SENSITIVE TECHNOLOGY.

THE TENDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW REGIME, THEY AGREED TO MAINTAIN EXISTING COCOM CONTROLS

ΤΟ ALL

DESTINATIONS ON

HONG KONG FOLLOWS THIS

NATIONAL LEVEL.

ARRANGEMENT, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

ΤΟ

BESIDES, ГЕНЕ CONTROL LISTS OF PLANT PATHOGENS AND CHEMICAL MANUFACTURING FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT HAVE ALSO REEN AMENDED REFLECT THE UPDATED CONTROLS OF THE AUSTRALIA GROUP, THE INTERNATIONAL REGIME SPECIALISED IN EXPORT CONTROLS OF CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL DUAL- USE GOODS.

IN

NO CHANGE, HOWEVER, HAS BEEN MADE TO SCHEDULES 2 3 AND 4 AS REGARDS GOODS IN-TRANSIT, END-USE CONTROL AND SPECIFIED ACTIVITIES RELATION TO ARTICLES SPECIFIED IN SCHEDULE 3 RESPECTIVELY, HE ADDED.

COUNCIL THE THE

THE AMENDMENT ORDER SHALL BE TABLED TO THE LEGISLATIVE ON MAY 18 AND BECOME EFFECTIVE ON A DAY TO BE APPOINTED BY DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF TRADE BY NOTICE PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE, IF COUNCIL RAISES NO OBJECTION TO THE ORDER AFTER 28 DAYS.

"THE PURPOSE OF IMPORT AND EXPORT LICENSING CONTROLS MONITOR AND CONTROL THE FLOW OF STRATEGIC COMMODITIES TO PREVENT KONG FROM BEING USED AS A CONDUIT FOR THE PROLIFERATION OF WEAPONS AND RELATED SYSTEMS," THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

IS

ΤΟ

HONG

ANY PERSON WHO IMPORTS OR EXPORTS ANY ARTICLE SPECIFIED IN SCHEDULES WITHOUT A LICENCE IS LIABLE ON CONVJCTION ON INDICTMENT AN UNLIMITED FINE AND IMPRISONMENT FOR SEVEN YEARS, HE ADDED.

THE

ΤΟ

THE GROUND

OF COPIES

THE AMENDMENT ORDER ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE AT GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE BUILDING, FLOOR, CONNAUGHT PLACE, HONG KONG.

THAT

18 CAN