G. F. 323
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offices (such as the T.D.C.) cutside the Embassies
and this view was sub stantiated by subsequent discussion in Europe but the Embassies could do more to help us distribute press material if it was available and this could supplement anything we did through our own offices. Obviously the first task was to build up a section in Hong Kong producing information guidance and source material. It might be possible to arrange distribution on our own headed paper if we supplied it. If we wanted to attach an information officer to the Brussels Embassy, this could be considered and would most likely prove possible.
40. It might be of interest to note that the British Central Office of Information are spending more than 25% of their overseas promotional budget in Europe. Their current publicity centres around the theme 'Britain is a good European and a valuable colleague in the Community' although whether or not this has been modified with the change of government in Britain, and the change of emphasis in Britain's E.E. C. policy, I do not know!
41. Under the present organisation of Hong Kong's various information services in Europe, our British based offices, with the exception of the H.K.T.A. London Office, have no responsibility for publicity outside Britain. However the London press scene can indirectly have an effect upon our image on the Continent. Firstly there is a large press corps in London representing European newspapers and radic and television services. Secondly some of the English papers such as the Financial Times have syndication links with some of their continental counterparts, and thirdly, the main English Sunday papers are surprisingly widely read in Europe and articles sometimes lifted for re-publication without syndication rights. If we are to intensify our efforts some attention needs to be paid to this aspect of the problem in London and if a co-ordinating officer for European information services is posted to London this would be one of his tasks. It is a problem which could be examined in greater depth as part of the separate survey of our information services in Britain which I recommend should take place at an early date. The Hong Kong Commissioner in London is aware of this proposal and supports it in principle.
42. The need for a background information service for T.D.C. representa- tives which I mentioned earlier is also much needed by the Hong Kong Government Office in London. I understand that requests for green papers and information background briefings which have been made both to the Secretariat and Information Services Department have so far been un- productive. There is a tendency in Hong Kong to forget overseas needs and one of the principal tasks of my proposed I.S.D. European information section would be to concentrate on these needs as a first priority.
43. I also believe that the T.D.C. London office could successfully place more source material in the trade press, if this was provided. I understand that the T.D.C. publications "Apparel", "Toys" and "Enterprise", as principal publicity vehicles, are intended to provide additional source material to that distributed in the overseas press
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