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YOUNG HOWEVER COULD NOT STAY HERE UNTIL THEN BECAUSE OF OTHER
ENGAGEMENTS IN THE UK.
3. I THUS HOPE THAT THE IBB TEAM CAN ADJUST THEIR PLANS TO ENABLE US TO HOLD THE SEMINAR IN THE WEEK 4 - 9 NOVEMBER, TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LORD YOUNG'S WILLINGNESS TO PARTICIPATE. THE HEAD OF CABLE AND WIRELESS HERE, GALE, TELLS ME THAT HE HOPES TO TAKE LORD YOUNG TO AUSTRALIA FOR A MEETING WITH MR HAWKE DURING THAT PERIOD, AS WELL AS A COUPLE OF DAYS IN HONG KONG, BUT CONFIRMS THAT LORD YOUNG COULD READILY GIVE US A HALF DAY, WHICH GALE WOULD PREFER TO BE AT THE BEGINNING OR END OF THE 4 9 NOVEMBER VISIT. LORD YOUNG'S PRESENCE WOULD BE AN IMMENSE HELP IN MAKING THE EVENT A SUCCESS, AND WOULD TAKE US A SUBSTANTIAL STEP TOWARDS ENSURING THAT WE GET THE TYPE OF TOP-LEVEL ATTENDANCE AT THE
SEMINAR WHICH WILL BE NECESSARY TO GIVE IT A CHANCE OF ATTRACTING SERIOUS NEW AND SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT TO THE UK. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT LORD YOUNG'S PRESENCE WOULD IN FACT SIGNIFICANTLY
HEIGHTEN THE PROFILE OF THE SEMINAR SO FAR AS THE GENERAL PUBLIC
IN HONG KONG ARE CONCERNED SINCE HE IS A REGULAR VISITOR TO HONG KONG ANYWAY. HOWEVER, AS I HAVE CONTENDED CONSISTENTLY FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, WE NEED NOT FEAR SUCH A RAISING OF THE PROFILE EVEN IF THAT WERE TO OCCUR. THE REST OF THE WORLD SEEKS INWARD
INVESTMENT FROM HONG KONG NO LESS THAN OTHER PARTS OF THE RAPIDLY EXPANDING PACIFIC RIM, AND NO-ONE, INCLUDING THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, IS LIKELY TO OBJECT IF WE ARE SEEN TO BE DOING THE SAME. THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID FORD, HAS CONFIRMED TO ME THAT HE WOULD HAVE NO OBJECTION AT ALL TO SEEING LORD YOUNG IN
THIS ROLE. BUT I DO NOT SEE OUR NOVEMBER SEMINAR HAVING A HIGH
PUBLIC PROFILE ANYWAY. THE PEOPLE WE WILL BE LOOKING TO ATTRACT
DO NOT NORMALLY LIKE TO WORK IN A BLAZE OF PUBLICITY ESPECIALLY WHEN CONTEMPLATING INVESTMENT DECISIONS. I HOPE THEREFORE WE CAN
MAKE THE NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS TO ENABLE US TO LEAD WITH LORD
YOUNG.
HEAP
YYYY
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