XN000022-1994-11-16 — Page 3

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1994

GOVERNOR WELCOMES APEC AGREEMENT

THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, YESTERDAY (TUESDAY) WELCOMED THE STEPS TOWARDS FREE TRADE OFFERED BY THE AGREEMENT REACHED AT THE ASIA PACIFIC ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION'S (APEC) ECONOMIC LEADERS MEETING IN JAKARTA.

ADDRESSING THE MEDIA IN LOS ANGELES DURING HIS WEEK-LONG VISIT ΤΟ THE U.S., MR PATTEN SAID: "WE BELIEVE PASSIONATELY IN, FREE TRADE AND ARE DELIGHTED BY THE NEWS FROM THE APEC SUMMIT TODAY THAT THE ECONOMIC LEADERS OF APEC HAVE TAKEN A HISTORIC STEP ALONG THE ROAD TO FREE TRADE IN THE REGION.'

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STRESSING THAT THE AGREEMENT WAS BOTH AN IMPORTANT POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, MR PATTEN SAID HE HOPED IT WOULD GIVE BUT FURTHER MOMENTUM TO TRADE LIBERALISATION, NOT JUST IN THE REGION, GLOBALLY.

MR PATTEN SAID HE RECOGNISED THAT THERE WAS BACKSLIDING FROM THE URUGUAY ROUND AGREEMENT.

[

A DANGER

OF

'THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A DANGER THAT, EVEN WHEN WE'VE GOT THAT ESTABLISHED IN

BE THE WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION, THAT THERE WILL RESISTANCE ΤΟ

AND FURTHER LIBERALISATION IN AREAS LIKE AGRICULTURE SERVICES.

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"WE WANT TO SEE THINGS CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE, IN OUR WHETHER FREER TRADE IS VASTLY TO THE GOOD OF ALL HUMANITY, JUDGMENT, THEY LIVE IN RICH COUNTRIES OR POOR COUNTRIES, OR COUNTRIES BETWEEN.'

IN

MR PATTEN

CALL

ON

LOS

HIS DAY IN LOS ANGELES WITH A BEGAN ANGELES MAYOR RICHARD RIORDAN AT CITY HALL,

HE ADDRESSED A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE LOS ANGELES WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ASIA SOCIETY AND THE HONG KONG ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, ATTENDED BY 600 BUSINESS COMMUNITY LEADERS.

LATER

FRANCISCO

IN THE DAY, THE GOVERNOR TRAVELLED TO SAN THE SECOND LEG OF HIS VISIT TO THE WEST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES.

FIRST APPOINTMENT FOLLOWING HIS ARRIVAL PATTEN'S FRANCISCO WAS A MEETING WITH CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR PETE WILSON.

TRADE MATTERS OF MUTUAL INTEREST INCLUDING GOVERNORS DISCUSSED IMMIGRATION.

MR

AND

ON

IN THE TWO

SAN

AND

"WE TALKED A BIT ABOUT OUR SHARED PROBLEMS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, MR PATTEN SAID.

"WE TALKED ABOUT THE ECONOMIC AND COMMERCIAL LINKS BETWEEN HONG UP KONG AND CALIFORNIA. WE SPOKE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF NOT PUTTING PROTECTIONIST. BARRIERS TO TRADE, ENSURING THAT WE BECOME COMPETITIVE RATHER THAN MORE PROTECTIONIST.'

"

MORE

/FOLLOWING HIS