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The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mrs Rita Lau, will leave for Geneva, Switzerland, tomorrow (July 18) for meetings at the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Mrs Lau will attend ministerial meetings relating to WTO negotiations on Agriculture and Non-Agricultural Market Access, and participate in a signalling conference on services. Chaired by the Director-General of the WTO, Mr Pascal Lamy, the meetings are aimed at narrowing differences among WTO members to facilitate a successful conclusion of the Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations by the end of 2008.
"The meetings will provide a valuable opportunity to inject political impetus into the on-going negotiations. We hope this gathering of trade ministers will help us find common ground for moving towards the conclusion of the Round," Mrs Lau said.
During the week, Mrs Lau will also take the opportunity to have bilateral meetings with her counterparts from various economies.
Mrs Lau will return to Hong Kong on July 26.
Ends/Thursday, July 17, 2008
Issued at HKT 16:00
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