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The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mrs Rita Lau, started her Geneva visit programme with a meeting with the Swiss Minister of Economic Affairs and Federal Councillor, Ms Doris Leuthard (Switzerland time July 19) to exchange views on areas of mutual interests.
Mrs Lau noted that the two small but dynamic economies shared many common trade interests including the opening up of services markets, particularly in logistics and transport-related services. The two Ministers agreed that both economies could cooperate further to work towards a successful outcome for the Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations by the end of this year.
Mrs Lau will meet the Director-General of the WTO, Mr Pascal Lamy, later today to reassure Hong Kong's support on early conclusion of the Doha Round. She will attend ministerial meetings relating to WTO negotiations on Agriculture and Non-Agricultural Market Access, and participate in a Signaling Conference on Services in the coming week.
Ends/Sunday, July 20, 2008
Issued at HKT 07:59
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