Copies to
DRAFT
From: C J Ingham
-Miss Saunders, HKD - Mr Parter. Legal Advisors
Mr Harris
Miss Spencer
pa predie
Information Department
Date: 16 April 1991
cc: PS/Lord Caithness
for comments by 1200 on 19 April
(Minal Samnders' mimild of 10/4 refers)
pleas
PS/Mr Lennox-Boyd
PS
BBC WORLD SERVICE
-
Miss Saunders, HKD
Mr Parker, Legal Adviser
Mi Burns
ölagham
210 6120
17/4
RADIO TELEVISION HONG KONG ( (RTHK)
Problem
1.
Should the Secretary of State give his approval to the BBC World Service to enter into an agreement with the Recreation and Culture Branch of the Government Secretariat, Hong Kong, to indemnify Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) against any claims arising from RTHK's rebroadcasts of BBC World Service programmes?
Recommendation
2.
I recommend that the Secretary of State should do so. Hong Kong Department and Legal Advisers concur.
Background
3.
Since January 1990, the BBC World Service in English has been relayed on medium wave by RTHK throughout the colony for 24 hours a day. The Recreation and Culture Branch of the Government Secretariat, which is responsible for broadcasting in Hong Kong, has requested an exchange of letters with the BBC to indemnify RTHK against any liability arising from this rebroadcasting. The agreement is to run until 31 December 1999, ie after the revers of Hong Kong to Chinese sovereignty.
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