TNAG-0436-FCO40-501-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-international-organisations-1973 — Page 19

Mr Goodfellow (HKIOD K 245)

Mr Ehrman

(FED K 248)

NKK 2 ||

so

FAO REGIONAL CONFERENCE FOR ASIA AND THE FAR EAST

1.

The annual FAO Regional Conference for Asia and the Far East will be held in Japan from 7 - 27 September 1974. The ODM cannot afford to send a UK based Observer to the Conference this year, and consequently the Dependent Territories have not been asked to send officials to join the UK team.

2. On the last 2 occasions, however, Hong Kong has sent a senior official to this meeting as a member of the UK team. I should therefore be grateful to learn whether HKIOD feel that they should be given the opportunity to participate this year. I ought to add that ODM would prefer Hong Kong not to be represented in view of the difficulties of briefing, and in view of the fact that the UK will not be represented.

3. It is likely that the Chinese, (who will be represented at the meeting for the first time in many years), will object to an official from Hong Kong taking his seat at the Conference as the "UK Observer". It would therefore seem appropriate, should we decide to allow Hong Kong to attend, to ask the Embassy in Tokyo to send someone to attend the Conference as "UK Observer", with any represent- ative from Hong Kong as an "adviser".

i

Michael Hilton

M A Hilton

United Nations Department K 149 MA 351

8 July 1974

Mr Hilton (United Nations Department K 149)

1. Normally Hong Kong attaches importance to Regional Conferences in the Far East. I expect that Hong Kong would wish to be present at this FAO Conference. would support them in this.

We

2. I think that as a first step we should ask Hong Kong their views, on this. If they wish to be present I agree that this would have to be in a secondary role i.e. as Mr Hilton suggests the Embassy in Tokyo would supply the observer and the Hong Kong Representative would be

RESTRICTED

/in