CALL BY POST MASTER GENERAL OF HONG KONG ON MR COOPER, DOI,
FRIDAY 5 NOVEMBER 1982
HONG KONG ATTENDANCE AS OBSERVOR AT APPU MEETINGS
DSR 11C
Points to Make
1. HMG is using its best endeavours to ensure that Hong Kong
be invited to attend meetings. We had not anticipated difficulties
meeting held in Seoul in October over attendance at the Executive Council owing to the precedent set
by Hong Kong attendance at a meeting in 1979. However, the Council
decided that they could take no decision on the attendance of observors
in the absence of representatives from the People's Republic of China.
Background
2.
The New Zealand Post Office drew DOI's attention to doubts
expressed among certain APPU member states over the appropriateness
of Hong Kong's attendance as observors. In an attempt to re-establish
the precedence for Hong Kong's attendance at meetings it was decided
to ask the APPU Secretariat for approval for the attendance of
Brunei alone at the October Executive Council meeting. The Secretariat
said that in the time available they would not be able to ensure
the unanimous approval of member states to Brunei attendance.
However, they linked Brunei's attendance with that of Hong Kong and
expressed the view that this needed to be discussed at the Executive
Council meeting.
3. Clearly, member states were conscious of the resistance of the
People's Republic of China to Hong Kong attendance and discussion at
recent Executive Council meeting with respect to Hong Kong's
attendance in future was inconclusive.
/4.