CONFIDENTIAL
012703
7
MDHIAN
SURPRISED AND DISAPPOINTED BY THE CHINESE POSITION.
THE BBC HAS AN INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION FOR PROVIDING FAIR, NEUTRAL AND BALANCED REPORTING AND ANALYSIS OF INTERNATIONAL NEWS. ITS EDITORIAL POLICY IS INDEPENDENT OF HMG. BOTH ITS CHINESE AND ENGLISH-LANGUAGE SERVICES ARE WIDELY LISTENED TO AND APPRECIATED IN HONG KONG, MAINLAND CHINA, TAIWAN AND BY CHINESE-SPEAKERS IN THE REGION GENERALLY.
THE BBC MAINTAINS TRANSMITTERS IN A NUMBER OF OTHER FOREIGN COUNTRIES WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE HOST GOVERNMENTS. THESE GOVERNMENTS SEE NOTHING INAPPROPRIATE ABOUT SUCH ARANGEMENTS.
WE THEREFORE REGRET THE NEGATIVE CHINESE POSITION AND THE WAY IN WHICH IT HAS BEEN COMMUNICATED TO US. WE CONSIDER THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE APPROPRIATE FIRST TO HAVE HELD CONSULTATIONS ON THE SUBJECT, AT WHICH THE TWO SIDES COULD HAVE EXPLAINED AND DISCUSSED THEIR APPROACHES. IT MIGHT ALSO HAVE BEEN MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THE CHINESE SIDE, RATHER THAN TAKING A DEFINITE AND UNILATERAL DECISION NOW, TO HAVE RESERVED THEIR POSITION PENDING DISCUSSION WITH THE SARG AND BBC AFTER 1997.
WE HOPE THAT OVER COMING MONTHS OR YEARS THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES WILL RECONSIDER THEIR POSITION. MEANWHILE WE ARE INFORMING THE BBC AND ADVISING THEM TO PREPARE TO (DISMANTLE) (CEASE USING)
THE TRANSMITTER.
- FOR OUR PART WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR AN ASSURANCE THAT, DESPITE THEIR POSITION ON THIS QUESTION, THE CHINESE SIDE IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 3 SECTION 5 OF THE JOINT DECLARATION HAVE NO INTENTION OF INTERFERING AFTER 1997 WITH THE RIGHT OF HONG KONG PEOPLE FREELY TO LISTEN TO FOREIGN BROADCASTS AND TO RECEIVE FOREIGN PUBLICATIONS.
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WHEN NEWS OF THE BBC'S PLANNED WITHDRAWAL BECOMES PUBLIC, THE BRITISH SIDE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO COMMENT AS IT DEEMS APPROPRIATE.
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