CO537-5142 — Page 162

COPY

Paskin

I spoke to you about the meeting which the Secretary of State was to have this morning with the Foreign Secretary, at the latter's request, to discuss the Information Services in Hong Kong. Mr. Blackburne had prepared the attached notes for the Secretary of State's information.

The Foreign Secretary expressed anxiety at the delay in reaching any concrete plans for the expansion of the broadcasting services in Hong Kong. He felt that the present situation in China now calls for an immediate review of practical possibilities and an early decision one way or the other. He therefore wishes that the officials concerned in the Foreign Office and Colonial Office should now submit the matter directly to himself and the Secretary of State for early consideration. It appeared that the latest suggestion would be to instal a powerful medium wave transmitter on a new site. The submission should cover the arguments for and against this proposal on political and technical grounds, and should indicate the estimated cost and the possible sources of finance.

The Secretary of State would be grateful if, in consultation with Mr. Blackburne and Mr. Dening of the Foreign Office, you would set the wheels in motion for early submission to the Foreign Secretary and himself on these lines. I note from C.I. (49)63 below that the Working Party on Colonial Information Policy agreed at its meeting on the 30th June that a paper on this subject should be submitted to Ministers at the next meeting of the Colonial Information Policy Committee. I assume however that it is the Foreign Secretary's wish that there should now be a direct submission to himself and the Secretary of State quite apart from what is being done through the machinery of · the Colonial Information Policy Committee.

The Foreign Secretary also touched on the general lines of the publicity and propaganda policy which the Information Services in Hong Kong should pursue. The Foreign Secretary felt that there was too much of a tendency to adopt a deliberate anti-communist note. He was very doubtful whether, in view of the trend of events in China this was at all the right tone to adopt. Our publicity line should surely be guided by and fit in with the public statements made by Ministers regarding our desire to maintain friendly relations with China, and to reach amicable arrangements with whatever authority might emerge in that country. A strong anti-communist line of propaganda would not only run counter to such declarations but might well prejudice our position in pursuing the policy stated.

The Secretary of State would be grateful if the whole question of information policy in Hong Kong could be examined immediately with the Foreign Office in the light of the Foreign Secretary's remarks.

The

The Foreign Secretary also had the impression that there was some doubt about the capability of those in charge of the Information Services in Hong Kong, and that proposals for a new appointment or appointments were under consideration. Secretary of State is not informed on this point and would like to know how the matter stands. He assumes that any necessary steps will be taken to ensure that the direction of Information Services in Hong Kong is in competent hands and that the Foreign Office will be brought fully into the picture.

I am sending a copy of this minute to lir. Blackburne, Sir T. Lloyd and Mr. Rees Williams.

(Sgd., K.D. Watson

6.7.49.