TNAG-0289-FCO40-325-Departmental-briefs-on-Hong-Kong-1971 — Page 72

CONFIDENTIAL

14.

BURMA

Planners' G

(a) Expenditure

1971-72

1970-71

FCO/COI/HISO

14,457

14,643

(b) Staff

DS 7E supervises Information work part-time

6 L.E.s

(c) Comments

(i)

Operational

Restrictions imposed by the Burmese authorities

and successive FCO economy measures leave the

Information effort essentially a holding operation.

(ii) Future Developments

(iii)

(iv)

There are no foreseeable developments which might

involve increased activity or expenditure.

BBC

The BBC, particularly the Burmese Service, is an

important asset. It costs £27,000 a year and the

BBC pay for a local Burmese employee who works

from the Embassy. This service is one which was

considered for elimination on economic grounds,

but has been reprieved.

Overall Assessment

Burma's foreign policy of non-alignment in general

suits our requirement for stability in the

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