G. F. 323
CONFIDENTIAL # B
-
13-
service. If staff is available, it might be preferable to prepare this additional press material in Hong Kong during the production stages of these publications.
44. Good, ad-hoc co-ordination appears to exist between the H.K.T.A. office in London and the T.D. C. office in Stockholm with assistance being provided with Swedish translations of travel literature. The Tourist Association are keen on sharing in T.D.C. promotions but because of lack of long term co-ordination, money was generally not available to participate in other organisations' promotions at short notice.
45. The general scope of assisted visits to Hong Kong of people of influence is more broadly based from Britain than elsewhere in Europe, because all three organisations, Government, T.D. C. and H.K.T.A. are involved in sponsored visit schemes and coverage is good, including Members of Parliament. But at present Britain is the only European country where such visits include people other than from trade or travel circles. I therefore have no specific recommendations for additional visits from Britain at this stage but in general terms it appears that fresh invitations might be issued to selected representatives of the Department of Industry in London.
Belgium
46. Brussels is the biggest international press centre in Europe outside London, with approximately two hundred and fifty representative bureaux covering the E.E. C. headquarters. It is also a 'bureaucratic' jungle and anybody operating there must recognise the working dis- tinctions between the Commission, the Council of Ministers and the representative delegations from the member states (COREP) and learn to walk warily between them. The Commission proposes policy, the Council endorses (or rejects) it and the individual delegations measure the policy against their separate national interests. The Information Services of the Commission are trying to re-organise and expand and are looking to the member states to assist them. The E.E.C. is actively trying to promote its image in the U.S.A., South America, Africa and Asia. They are planning to open a representative office in Japan as soon as the agreement has been ratified by the Diet. This office is intended to operate solely within Japan although in practice it will spread its influence to neighbouring countries. There is also the possibility of another office opening in Bangkok or Djakarta to deal with other parts of S.E. Asia. We should follow these developments closely because if Hong Kong can offer assistance in helping the E.E.C. spread their message they might be more interested in helping us spread ours. The head of the external relations section of the E.E.C. information services, Mr. Camille Becker, will be travelling to Japan for the opening of the new office, probably in November 1974, and it would be worthwhile if we can persuade him to divert for a few days to Hong Kong. I believe he would be prepared to consider such an invitation and it should be followed up. It might be of interest to note that the trend within the E.E.C. information services is towards hard, factual newsletters and television visuals, mainly through personal contact with television producers. The days of glossy
CONFIDENTIAL #B
Page 30Page 31
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.