CODE 18-77
sexle
Mr Searle (HKGD K242)
CONFIDENTIAL.
BBC RELAY STATION IN HONG KONG
Reference..
Hier 306/1
NALEINED IN E' Verey NO. 51 2 8 AUG 1981
INDEX
DESK OFFICER
PA
мозья
No
REGISTRY Action Taka
1. We think any political case we put to the Governor for the establishment of a relay station in Hong Kong needs to be more balanced and nuancé than your draft. I suggest something on the following lines:-
'We could not pretend that there is a strong
political case for locating the relay station in Hong Kong. It could, of course, be argued that the wide audience in China which would result from improved audibility of BBC broad- casts would help to foster greater understanding of Britain and that there might be a small spin- off from all this for Hong Kong.
144
See 143
On the other hand there must be a possibility that the presence of a relay station in Hong Kong could become an irritant in our relations with China if the BBC were to broadcast programmes which upset the Chinese. Although the risk of this happening with the present Chinese leader- ship is not great, we could not say how a future Chinese Government might react to the content of BBC broadcasts relayed to China from 'Chinese territory'.'
Аввал
24 August 1981
A R Paul
Far Eastern Department K255
233.5539
CONFIDENTIAL