CONFIDENTIAL
conclude a Cultural Agreement.
Mr. Stewart (CRD) pointed out that it was not only the question of current taxes, but the risk of demands for back taxes which could cost up to £600,000 p.â. Until this matter was resolved there could certainly be no expansion in India.
In discussion it was agreed that the appointment of two or three British Council staff as "Cultural Attachés" was not indefensible, but would only be a small part of the solution.
In discussion on the future of the BBC Bengali programme it was pointed out that the two qurter-hour transmissions still had enormous interest (though they had been cut back from the increased transmissions made in the crisis period).
Mr. Reddaway said that we had resisted the Prime Minister's general wish to cut back such services, but that there was probably no scope for specific increases at present.
Pakistan and Ceylon
Mr. Sutherland said that there were no particular points on the British Council. But on BBC transmissions were there any ideas on special English transmissions to South-East Asia? This was taken as a point to be discussed in a meeting with Mr. Whitley (BBC) the following day. Mr. Reddaway emphasised that, despite adverse recent comments from Islamabad, the merit of the BBC remained its impartiality in the area.
Mr. Stewart raised the question of expansion in East Pakistan, notably on libraries. In discussion it was agreed that security and the impossibility of putting families back into the area or for the library to be attached to Dacca University made this a non-starter at present.
SOUTH-WEST PACIFIC
Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia
Mr. Hickman agreed with the line taken in the notes, querying only whose responsibility it is to determine whether present representation was adequate. Mr. Hyde (GIPD) said that this followed from discussions with SWPD concerning the reassessment which the Malaysians were making of their policies. In discussion it was thought that these reassessments would not in fact make any major change; and a point raised whether there was any scope for an increase in vernacular broadcasting raised the question whether in any case Malaysia would permit this under the Tebrau Agreement.
CONFIDENTIAL
/Australia
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Private notes are available after approval.