TNAG-0373-FCO40-419-Visits-of-members-of-the-Hong-Kong-Urban-Council-to-the-UK-1973 — Page 17

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Mr Denne

DIPLOMATIC SERVICE REGULATION NO 7: GIFTS FROM THE JAPANESE

1. I understand that you are one of several officers who

received gifts following the Japanese Prime Minister's recent

visit to London.

2. We appreciate that these gifts could not have been returned

without causing offence; nor, we realise, would it have been

appropriate for reciprocal presentations to be maue. We also

appreciate that visits of this sort involve a lot of extra work

for everyone concerned. Nevertheless, we have to administer

DSR 7 consistently throughout the Service and the Chief Clerk

has agreed that we cannot on this occasion depart from the usual

practice of requiring officers who wish to retain gifts worth

more than 10-15 to make an appropriate contribution to the

Diplomatic service welfare Fund.

3.

we have made enquiries to ascertain the approximate value of

the gifts in question. The Sony Radio/Cassette Recorder is a new

model not yet on sale in this country; but an almost identical

model is available for £60. The Seiko stainless steel automatic

watch sells at about £48. we understand that the Mikimoto cuff-

links used to sell for about £10. It i, of course, difficult to

estimate what the vases are likely to be worth.

4. The Chief Clerk has decided that the vases need not be taken

into consiueration; that officers who received cuff-links only may

retain them unconditionally; that those who received watches may

retain them on payment of £15 to the Welfare Fund; and that those

with watches and cuff-links or radios should pay 20 into the

Fund.

15. If you decide

ADMINISTRATION IN CONFIDENCE