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Isterred H Trans (2+55273) that on
050430
MDLIAN 4886
FM BTC HONG KONG.
TO ROUTINE DTI
TELNO OTTER 166
HKB 026/15
OF 23021OZ AUGUST 89
INFO ROUTINE FCO
06SEP 1989
we Wirter
-but
it
was
a
finity bakmeed case
balcrice I agree the monrujter should see
FOR OT2/2
YOUR TELNO OTTER 172: BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN HONG KONG
27/8
1.
IN NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES I WOULD AGREE THAT A CALL BY
BARRIE MCWHIRTER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CHAMBER, WOULD NOT RATE A CALL ON A MINISTER. HE IS QUITE YOUNG. THE CHAMBER IS QUITE SMALL. AND I DOUBT THAT HE WILL HAVE ANYTHING VERY EN- LIGHTENING TO SAY. NOR DO I THINK IT WOULD BE SEEN BY MOST MEMBERS OF THE CHAMBER AS A SLIGHT IF HE WERE NOT RECEIVED BY A MINISTER. NEVERTHELESS GIVEN THE PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG, GIVEN THE CHAMBER'S CURRENT PROPENSITY FOR WRITING LETTERS TO THE PRIME MINISTER AND TO MINISTERS AT THE FCO AND DTI, AND ABOVE ALL GIVEN THAT WE ARE AS A MATTER OF POLICY TRYING TO BOOST THE CHAMBER, WHICH IS ONLY THREE YEARS OLD TO BUILD IT INTO AN INSTRUMENT THAT WILL SUPPORT AND HELP SUSTAIN BRITISH COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY IN HONG KONG IN THE DIFFICULT YEARS
་
AHEAD,
I RECOMMEND THAT LORD TREFGARNE SHOULD SEE MCWHIRTER IF HE CAN. MCWHIRTER HIMSELF WOULD OF COURSE BE VERY PLEASED. THE CHAMBER WOULD BE ENCOURAGED. NEWS OF THE MEETING WOULD ALSO ENHANCE THE CHAMBER'S REPUTATION AND STANDING HERE. I DO NOT THINK THAT WE NEED WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT SETTING A PRECEDENT, ALTHOUGH WE SHOULD KEEP IN MIND THAT THE CHAMBER'S PRESIDENT WILL CONSIDER HIMSELF CONSIDERABLY MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
2.
IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW THE OUTCOME WHEN A DECISION HAS BEEN MADE. WE WOULD OF COURSE READILY PASS ON THE OFFER OF ANY APPOINTMENT ONCE POSSIBLE TIMES AND DATES ARE KNOWN.
HEAP
YYYY
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