SWITZERLAND. The world’s biggest watch and jewellery fair opened yesterday in Basel and Zurich amid a grim mood as Swiss authorities refused to relax a ban on traders from Hong Kong, China, Singapore or Vietnam because of fears about the spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
The result was a split between the organisers and the Hong Kong delegation, which said it would pull out of the fair altogether because of the “totally unacceptable” Swiss measures, which banned anyone who has been in Hong Kong, China, Singapore or Vietnam since 1 March from working at the show.
As a result, the Hong Kong delegation threatened to sue for HK$50 million (US$6.4 million) compensation. They are the second biggest group after the Swiss, with 317 exhibitors and around 2,500 staff. “We are obviously not welcome here,” said Frederick Lam, deputy executive director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. “But Swiss people will continue to be welcome in Hong Kong,” he declared.
The Hong Kong Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology, Henry Tang warned the Swiss action would hurt their “economic relationship.”
“Our delegates have already taken precautionary health measures and have expressed willingness to cooperate further with the Swiss authorities,” Tang said in a statement released in Hong Kong.
The Swiss defended their decree, issued on the eve of the fair. “Exhibition organizers failed to offer an alternative which provided the same level of protection and therefore there are no grounds to relax the decree,” said Thomas Zeltner, Federal Health Office director.
Visitors to Zurich faced hundreds of display stands containing unpacked boxes. Although Asian personnel were forbidden to sell products, they were still allowed to enter the exhibition centre.
