Terminal dues (Committee 5)
11. This again is going to be a hard slog if a global solution is to be agreed at Congress. the relevant working party is to produce some models based on their present proposals and also be available to help developing countries assess the financial implications for their postal administrations. The present plan is to hold a round table meeting during the February meeting of the Executive Council to line up a proposal for Congress. This will not be easy because there is a great deal of suspicion amongst the developing countries who feel they have much to lose by a new system.
Hong Kong
from Nige!
Whitcy, HKD
Not quite
2.
12. This was the only slightly difficult political issue. We had obtained FCO and the relevant Chairmens' clearance for Hong Kong to attend the terminal
terminal dues meetings of the EC under the UK umbrella. For the philatelic meeting they attended in their own right as a separate postal administration in the same way as the Channel Islands but for the work of the Union, they attended as a member of the Ensemble (because the meeting was open to all member countries). The problem arose in the debate on the work of the union because the International Bureau, quite rightly removed the Hong Kong name plate and replaced it by the UK Oversees Territories plate. The Postmaster General took exception to this but whilst eventually accepting it,
accepting it, made the point forcibly that he was speaking for Hong Kong and not for The Virgin Islands, Pitcairn, Gibraltar and went on to list all the others. This amused many delegates but probably not the Chinese who are particularly sensitive about this issue and who were very quick to point out in connection with another document on a different subject that Hong Kong should not be listed as a country.
13. No real harm was done this time round but
but it will be important to impress on the Postmaster General at the Seoul Congress that members of the Ensemble should not make interventions on their own behalf. This has to be left to the UK who heads the delegation of the Ensemble and speaks
speaks for the territories collectively. This is important because the fact that we have an extra delegation at all is a very sore point with a number of countries, not least China, Argentina, France etc. The Ensemble does of course mean an extra vote for the UK and we should if possible avoid rocking the boat.
Gulf in to
SYBIL J SMITH