CODE 18 - 77
Referance
Thank you: The important thing is to heep open the possibility that assistance mightl
LAG 211/1
22
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provided in cases where the presence of a DT delgation would be useful but where the Territory concerned would find the expenses involved an
the Argawell. This steme for an Seration
Mr Jasper HKGD
unwelcome burden.
query on a teleguan be costs of Dir interactatums of Ruternation Meetings
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|222/11
REPRESENTATION OF THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES AT CONFERENCES OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS.
1.
Although we discussed this matter over the telephone I thought it might be useful if I recorded in writing the position in regard to the ILO.
2.
It is established practice for the expenses of representatives of the dependent territories and the West Indies Associated States attending the ILO annual Conference in Geneva to be met wholly by the governments of the territories concerned. This is the case whateve the capacity in which these representatives attend.. Under the ILO Constitution non-metropolitan territories (which cannot be members of the Organisation in their own right) may be represented by either
(a) a tripartite Observer Delegation, comprising representatives
of government, employers and workers, or
(b)
government officials appointed to be Advisers to the UK Government Delegation.
The Constitution stipulates in regard to member states that their governments should meet the expenses of the employer and worker members of their delegations, as well as those of their own officials, and this requirement is also complied with in practice by the British non-metropolitan territories when they send Observer Delegations.
3. The only recent exception to the practice whereby the territories pay their own expenses has been the case of the Labour Commissioner in the Solomon Islands, who happened to be on leave in the UK at the time of the 1972 Conference and whose attendance as an Adviser to the UK Government Delegation was financed from technical aid funds administered by the then Dependent Territories General Department.
4. I regret I cannot at present say when or in what circumstances the original decision was made that the dependent territories should be responsible for their own representatives' expenses. To locate the relevant papers may entail a good deal more research, since these territories have been represented at ILO meetings for at least 20 years, and probably longer.
21 November 1977
Muteblanc.
PI Rill with the Strulff's query whil raised ligh
J.J.
23:11.
Andeandes
R Willcocks
Overseas Labour Adviser's
Office
нка HKG 025/3
RY NO. 51
23 NOV 1977
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