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(b)
the periodical economic reports
which overseas posts prepare
and send to various departments
in London.
The extra work involved would at most
be the actual despatch to Hong Kong
of a copy of these papers.
(iii) The supply of information requested
at (ii) (a) above should present no
security problem, and if (ii) (b)
raises difficulty on security grounds,
the information could be sent direct
to the Commerce and Industry
Department of the Hong Kong Government
which, besides finding such reports
helpful anyway, could be relied on to
exercise discretion in passing them
on to the Corporation or to follow
any instructions about passing the
information on what a post may wish
to give.
I myself am convinced that Hong Kong's
LA
request is a reasonable one, especially as
British posts are being asked to provide Hong
Kong with no more than general economic
intelligence which is already being collected
for E.C.G.D.
It can scarcely be argued that the
provision of such information to Hong Kong
would prove a burden or that it would
encourage other Commonwealth countries to
demand a similar service. It is not in any
case appropriate to compare our obligations to
independent Commonwealth countries with our
much greater obligations to, and
/responsibilities
...
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