CODE 18-77
Mr Williamsgh J11.2
27
Mr Quantrill
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Reference
Hkk Wyl!..
2 8 FEB 1979
IN
No
DIRECTIVE FOR THE SENIOR TRADE COMMISSIONER, HONG KONG
1. It appears that Personnel Operations Department will take responsibility for issuing this directive since they do something similar for other DS staff based in Hong Kong.
2.
On the two points still to be resolved (Mr March's letter of 23 January, HKK 414/1 (1979) folio 1), I recommend that we revise paragraph lc. of the draft directive (HKK 414/2 (1978) folio 12) to read:
"To provide advice and assistance, where appropriate in
coordination with the Hong Kong Government, tô visiting British Ministers, MPs, officials, businessmen and VIPs who can contribute to the achievement of a. above. You will not have ultimate responsibility for any Ministerial visit unless specifically instructed by HMG to assume the coordinating role;"
This phrasing is necessarily somewhat vague because it is not possible to establish clearly when, or to what extent, the Hong Kong Government become involved in visits. As regards the other point, I believe we are agreed in accepting the revised version put forward by Mr March.
3. If you are content, I shall have the directive produced in a form acceptable to POD. In the meantime we should perhaps inform Mr March of our proposed action. I attach a draft.
26 February 1979
N.thing
N A Ling
Hong Kong and General Department
I think parale would ffe better worded as
follows:
"To provide advice and assistance, in coordination where appropriate with the Hong Kong Government, to visiting British Ministers, MP's, officials, businessmen and VIPs, to the extent that their visits are concerned with the promotion of British exports. Unless you are specifically informed to the contrary, you will not be responsible for the genent coordination of visits to Hong Kong by British Ministers or senior officials: this, responsibility will normally lie with the Hong Kong Goverment"
? Otherwise
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