21 August 1991
RESTRICTED
COVERING CONFIDENTIAL
FILE
DIEU
Foreign & Commonwealth
Office
13
M Kenyon Esq
Radiocommunications Division Department of Trade & Industry Room 804A
Waterloo Bridge House
London SWIA 2AH
Telephone: 071-
173/
Dear Mr Kenyan
ALLOCATION OF CALL SIGNS TO HONG KONG
"
1.
You will be aware that we have put to the Chinese Government, through the Joint Lia on Group, our proposals for revision of Hong Kong's call sign allocation. These proposals were based on the compromise solution set out in FCO telegram number 168 of 1990 to Hamilton (copy enclosed), to which the Governments of Bermuda and Hong Kong agreed.
2.
Somewhat to our surprise, the Chinese have agreed, in principle, to our proposals, and have suggested that specific arrangements be made after further discussion between the JLG offices in Hong Kong (UKREP JLG Hong Kong telegram number 234, enclosed).
3.
We should await the outcome of these further discussions before taking this forward, but I think we can be reasonably confident of being in a position to announce a decision within the next few months. In particular we should be able to meet the Pitcairn Islanders' request for 4 to 5 years' notice of any changes, although ideally we should want to complete the reallocation of call signs well before 1997.
4. We shall keep you informed of progress in our discussions with the Chinese. When these discussions are complete, we shall need to consider timing for implementation of changes, and action which may need to be taken with the ITU.
Yours sincerely
C J Sainty Chitopher Smith.
Hong Kong Department
CAMAHZ JRB
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