******************************************************
The Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology, Mr John Tsang, will leave Hong Kong tonight (November 29) to attend the G90 meeting in Brussels, Belgium, and the World Trade Organization (WTO) General Council Meeting in Geneva, Switzerland.
The G90 meeting, to be held today and tomorrow (November 29 and 30), will consider the G90 strategy for Doha negotiations in the advent of the Sixth Ministerial Conference (MC6) of WTO scheduled for December 13-18. Mr Tsang will speak at the opening of the G90 Ministerial Session on November 30.
Afterwards, Mr Tsang will attend a two-day meeting of the WTO General Council which will, among other things, discuss the draft Ministerial Text and preparation work for MC6.
The G90 comprises the African Group, the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries (ACP) and the least developed countries (LDCs). It is concerned over the possible impact the Doha Development Agenda may bring about, such as erosion of trade preferences, loss of customs revenue, and imposition of new legal and administrative burdens. One of the main concerns of G90 is cotton, and the group supports the cotton-producing western and central African countries over the issue.
Mr Tsang will return to Hong Kong on December 4.
Ends/Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Issued at HKT 18:40
NNNN
