IN CONFIDENCE
CONFIDEN....
(a)
(b)
(c)
the High Commissioners and Ambassadors concerned have pressed strongly for an increase in our cultural effort towards the old Commonwealth and South Africa, mainly though not entirely in the form of increased exchanges of various kinds including some stepping up of artistic manifestations. Figures of £37,000 for Canada, £29,000 for Australia, £30,000 for South Africa and £4,000 for New Zealand (all recurrent) have been put forward, totalling about £100,000. It seems generally agreed that we may have taken these countries too much for granted in the past and that in view of our impending entry into the European Community, we should devote more attention to them;
the money available for exchanges (scholarships, visitors, tours etc.) with other countries should also be increased perhaps by £50,000;
at least £40,000 should be provided for grants to certain schools of which the most important are the English High Schools in Istanbul and (for any increase in the existing subsidy which may be necessary) the Wingate School in Ethiopia;
(a) the capital provision (for new buildings etc.)
should be increased by £100,000.
5. These proposals would absorb about £300,000 of the £400,000 available leaving about £100,000 for further redeployment. Possible candidates are new British Council representations in Congo Kinshasa, Seoul, South Vietnam, the Philippines, Botswana, Senegal, Saudi Arabia, Bulgaria, restoration of Cambodia, reinforcement of Port Sudan. Not all these could be done within £100,000, and if the Council carry out next year the expansions described in paragraphs 2 and 4 above, they may run into manpower difficulties precluding them from taking on any more commitments.
Cultural Relations Department
9 September, 1971.
CONFIDENTIAL
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