CODE 18-77
Mr Leeks
CONFIDENTIAL
77
Reference.
BBC FAR EASTERN RELAY STATION IN HONG KONG
1. Please refer to your undated minute to Mr Rawlinson.
2.
As you know, Mr Clift (the Political Adviser-designate to Hong Kong) and I were invited to lunch on 16 December by the BBC. Our hosts were Mr Mark Dodd, Controller of Overseas Services, and Mr Basil Clarke, Head of Far Eastern Services.
3. It emerged from our discussion that both were aware of the correspondence between the Deputy Postmaster General of Hong Kong and the Radio and Television Department of Guandong Province about the new relay station in Hong Kong. They accepted that sooner or later we would have to raise the question with the Chinese and explore their attitude to the continuing operation of the station after 1997. They volunteered the view that this could best be done some years from now, perhaps around the early 1990s.
4.
At first sight that seems sensible. Although Hong Kong have an understandable urge to get on with matters quickly, it would not make much sense to approach the Chinese until the station had been in operation for some years and they were accustomed to it. The likelihood is that relations between the BBC and their Chinese counterpart, and between the British and Chinese Governments on broadcasting matters, will continue to develop and extend. We already have a request from the Chinese that there should be reciprocal arrangements with the BBC External Services to share transmitter facilities (Mrs Wright's submission of 28 November). The likelihood is that the expansion of such cooperation will create a good basis by the early 1990s from which we can broach the question of the continued operation of the relay station after 1997. There would seem to be no particular advantage, and indeed potential disadvantage, in raising the matter in the near future.
4. If you and other recipients of this minute agree, you may wish to build the thought into your reply to Miss Shepherd's letter.
Hick 306t!
RECEIV
REGISTRY
1 8 DEC 1986
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Hong Kong Department
18 December 1986
Cc:
Mr Fletcher-Cooke, FED
Mr Rawlinson, BBC Section, Information Dept
CONFIDENTIAL