TNAG-0265-FCO40-301-Legislation-for-copyright-in-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 117

CONFIDENTIAL

would be an excellent outcome.

Agreement between the parties would clear the way for the full introduction of the Order in Council and consequently for the extension of the UK Copyright Act of 1956 to Hong Kong, for which the Board of Trade, and others - and not least yourselves have long been pressing.

(76) AWB 16/600018

6. In any event I think we are all agreed on the pressing need to bring Hong Kong's copyright law up to date by the extension to the Colony of the 1956 Act. Unless, therefore, you feel confident that a satisfactory compromise can be reached without undue delay, as between RTV and TVB, we should like to revert to our earlier suggestion (paragraph 7 of Commonwealth Office Saving Despatch No. 479 of 5 August, 1968) that we should go ahead with the making of the necessary Order in Council, extending the Act to Hong Kong whilst yo: proceed with the enactment of your draft Copyright Bill, omitting the contentious clause 4. The latter matter could, if necessary, then be dealt with by subsequent amendment once a decision had been taken on the issue between the two companies. I appreciate that you were not keen on this idea when it was first mentioned, but in the circumstances perhaps you would be willing to give it another look and let us have your views.

7.

It will, I know, be extremely tiresome for you, after such a long period of gestation here, to receive another answer which is not a full answer. I fear, however, that a new Minister (or whatever party) might well feel anxious reading the files that, whatever the strict legal interpretations to be put on the various issues there seemed to have been something of a vendetta mounted against RTV (and I must admit that much of the wording on our files supports this) and that he would not wish to have to defend the case before Parliament. If by adopting the line proposed in this letter we can reduce the area of contention I hope that you will agree that we should do so.

(K.M. Wilford)

CONFIDENT Z.