Whad.
HILK 18/4
FIMG A
STG B
FLAG C
UM 23/2
ง
Mr B Crowson (Fong Kong & Indian Ocean Dpt. - K 247)
cc:
Mr D E Glason (Pacific Dependent Territories
Department K 229)
Mrd Reid (Caribbean Department
K 362)
Mr G Tallboys (Gibraltar and General Dpt.-K 2724) Hr ND Natthews (West Indian and Atlantic
Department - K 225)
Miss V E Webberley (Social Affairs Dpt ODM)
Mr M J Williams (Marine & Transport Dpt. G 68/1)
REPRESENTATION OF UK DELENDENT TEARITC IS AT EF UN WORLD POPULATION CENCE 1974
1.
Attendance at the World Fopulation Conference, to be held in Bucharest from 19-30 August this year is confined to States Members of the United Nations or members of the Specialised Agencies and the IADA and also to the Administrative Heads of the Specialized Agencies and IAEA. Certain non-go ernmental organisa- tions in consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council will be invited to send observers.
2. We have now hard:
(a) directly from Hong Kong (Mr Holmes' letter
SS 7/3921/73 of 4 March) that the Hong Kong Government are studying the possibility of participation;
(b) indirectly trough the Conference Secretariat
(Kr Macrae's letter 7/2/54 of 26 February) and directly from Castries (Mr Mortlock's let er 27/19 of 18/3) that Sir Rupert G John,
Governor of St Vincent, would like to attend the Conference as an observer.
3. We agree wit. Hong Kong that the only way for UV Dependent Territories to be represented would be as members of the UF Delegation itself. This was the case at the Stockholm Environment Conference in June 1972 when Long Kong was included in the U Delegation, and at the ECAFE Regional opulation Conference in November 1972 when our Delegation included a representative from the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. (Hong Kong is an associate member of ECAFE and was able to participate in her own right.) However, we are most anxious to keep the numbers of the WPC Delegation down to the absolute minimum and we certainly do not want to see the Delegation cluttered up with the Governors of small islands. If we accepted one, it would be difficult to refuse others. We are also somewhat reluctant to make an exception for Fong Kong, partly because it might be cited as a precedent by other Dependent Territories and partly simply to keep the numbers down. I should be grateful to know whether you,
/and