UNA 250/7
Dr Ian T Field
Chief Medical & Health
Services Adviser
ODA
Room 316
Eland House
Stag Place
P
SW1
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Mr.
Mr Mora
Homo
23A
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нин
02213
ca a nosim ne şi
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7 Phobly
WHO: UK SEAT ON THE WESTERN PACIFIC REGIONAL COMMITTEE
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2.
Thank you for your minute of 19 March,
NR
The FCO would be content for Hong Kong to be solely responsible for providing the 'UK' representatives on the Western Pacific Regional Committee after 31 December 1983 when our responsibilities for Brunei's external affairs finally cease, but it would be difficult to arrange matters in this way before this date. Pitcairn is also still a dependent territory. We have been unable to establish definitively that the Pitcairn Islands in the South Pacific are included in the 'Western Pacific' Regional Committee but imagine that they must be. But we do not consider that our responsibilities for Pitcairn are an obstacle to your proposal. Hong Kong might need to be made aware of the Pitcairn angle.
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3. In the interval between now and 1984 we are inclined to see advantage in Hong Kong representatives accompanying the delegation from the UK. This would permit them to learn the ropes before eventually taking over entirely. If you agree, we shall write to Hong Kong encouraging them to attend this year's Regional Committee meeting. (I understand that the Social Services Branch of the Hong Kong Government made a similar suggestion in 1980 although it seems from your minute
that this was not taken up. Her on/1
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We have considered the implications of such a move for our position in other international organisations. As I understand it, we are not proposing to change the formal position and the seat on the Committee will continue to be the UK seat. The repercussions should therefore be minimal. Our continued participation in the Pan-American Health Organisation (where we still have a multiplicity of dependent territories) should not be endangered. The effect on other states
/(eg US, France, Netherlands
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