CONFIDENTIAL
Mr. James Murray (copy to Fr. Carter
(each
D
I attach a copy of a note which has been sent to me by Personnel Department about the status of the British Trade Commission in Hong Kong.
2.
3.
The main issues which arise seem to be as follows.
(i) Channel of Communication
(11)
(a) Obviously on export promotion and UK/Ilong Kong
economic relations the Trade Commission ill continue to correspond direct with the Board of Trade. On other matters, e.g. information, consular and administrative work, it seems appropriate that the post should correspond direct with the relevant FCO department concerned.
(b)
(c)
It would seem right that there should be a parent department with which the post would correspond when in doubt and which would exercise a generally supervisory role. Since Hong Kong Department is concerned with both the internal administration of Hong Kong and the Colony's relationship with Britain, it seems to me that they should take this on.
The question of a separate cypher link has, I understand, been satisfactorily settled.
Functions
My own feeling is that we should resist any attempt to enlarge the functions of the post further, especially in the direction of giving it political status. I am sure that the less we emphasise the separateness of the post from the normal governmental machinery in Hong Kong the better. It would indeed be an anomalous situation if we had anything approaching a separate representative of the British Government in a British Crown Colony.
(iii) Status
It follows, in my view, that there should be no question of the post receiving diplomatic immunity. Any privileges they received would be on an ad hoc basis.
I should
The above are my preliminary reactions. welcome your views, after which we could have a short discussion if there are points to resolve.
CONFIDENTIAL
Yokorch
(J. O. Moreton) 29 October 1968.
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