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Reference.......
HAK3401
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Mr Rooney (NTD CL520)
DESIGNATION UNDER SECTION 16(3) BNA 1981
33 24/11 Ap2 y
Your minute of 15 November and subsequent telecon Burton/ Wilson refer.
1.
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LNO
2. We would suggest the following as part of your letter to the Home Office:
3.
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See/258
15. I now turn to the question of the Hong Kong Tourist
Association and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. As Mr Luce emphasised in his speech to the Standing Committee on 28 April 1981, there is an obvious need for consultation with Dependent Territories in this area. The Hong Kong Government have strongly recommended that these bodies be designated under S16(3), and they will have to live with the effects of this.
6.
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council Staff operate overseas in an way analogous to the commercial section in our Embassies abroad. At present the TDC has 24 offices in major cities around the world. The Hong Kong Tourist Association also performs a promotional function similar to that of our embassies abroad. We agree with the Hong Kong Government that both bodies are 'closely associated' with the activities of the Government of Hong Kong. Designations under Section 2(3) are not in our view comparable, given the different circumstances, and representational system, of Hong Kong.'
If the Home Office do not agree to these proposals, we would need to know what their criteria for designation are, so that these can be passed on to Hong Kong. As mentioned in para.3 of my minute of 5 Novemērb, we should in these circumstances allow the Governor to put the Hong Kong case directly.
204
I am afraid we do not at present have any authoritative figures on the eligible TDC and HKTA staff. We have asked the organisations for these, and expect them soon.
4.
18 November 1982
R JF Hoare
Hong Kong & General Department WH312 233.4439
CODE 18.77
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