TNAG-0128-FCO40-164-Development-aid-1969 — Page 108

HKK 5/13

3 January 1969

Development Aid to the Dependent Territories after 31 March 1970

I refer to your letter on this subject dated 30 December 1968, with which you enclosed a copy of a letter to your department from the Ministry of Overseas Development together with a draft circular to the dependent territories.

2. We have discussed this matter on the telephone and are agreed that the despatch should not be addressed direct to Hong Kong but copied only together with a letter explaining that Hong Kong is not considered to be directly affected at this stage, but that the circular is sent for their information in case at any future date they should wish to draw on development funds, when the circular would give guidance about procedure. I think it would also be useful to add a comment in the letter with reference to paragraph 4 of the draft despatch to the effect that they would not be required to submit an overall development programme before their application could be considered, but only such plans as they might have of relevance to the particular application.

3. I have only one comment on the draft circular itself, and that refers to paragraph 3. If I understand the meaning of that paragraph correctly, the second sentence might well be omitted altogether, or perhaps re-worded "The complexity of the old procedures was a consideration against the extension of the Acts."

(H. H. Stewart) Hong Kong Department

Miss W. Durbin,

Financial Policy and Aid Department.