TNAG-0466-FCO40-531-Hong-Kong-s-interests-in-EEC-capitals-1974 — Page 33

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

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G. F. 323

CONFIDENTIAL # 2

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article for us possibly on industrial investment or the trading advantages Hong Kong can offer members of the Community if she is brought out here soon. I strongly recommend such a visit.

54. I believe we urgently need a government information officer in Belgium, attached to the office of the Counsellor for Hong Kong Commercial Affairs, He or she should be appointed in Belgium and should work in Brussels under the control of our Counsellor with

information policy guidance and back-up coming from Hong Kong (possibly through a Co-ordinator for overseas information in London).

The 1.0.'s task would be to maintain personal contact with selected media representatives and with British Embassy and E. E. C. information officials with the object of influencing them in favour of a more balanced approach to Hong Kong/E.E.C. trading problems. He would commission special articles through Hong Kong and would assist with distribution of appropriate T.D.C. publicity output in Belgium and, with the necessary back up from I.S.D. and the co-ordinated services in Hong Kong, would supplement it with a factual newsletter or series of news briefs containing a greater range of economic news, company news and Hong Kong/E. E. C. trading news. In the meantime it is recommended that the T.D.. should add to their Belgian distribution list:

and

55.

'Agence Europe', 10 Boulevard St. Lazare,

(for attention Brussels.

M. Emanuel Gazzo)

'European Report', Avenue Albert Elisabeth, (for attention 46, 1040 Brussels.

Miss M. Bywater)

Valuable personal contacts between the Hong Kong Government Office in Brussels and commercial policy counterparts both in Brussels and throughout the E. E. C. have been made. Our relationship with civil servants of the Commission on the spot is friendly and appears to be founded on mutual trust. I got the impression that my own travels with the Counsellor, and the many diplomatic calls we made, added helpfully to this important aspect of our 'diplomatic' relations and public relations in Europe. More needs to be done but already much more than can be expected is being achieved by one man on the spot. Occasional visits from Hong Kong of suitable government officials to Europe to make more informal government to government contacts within the Community (in association with our Brussels office) would help to maintain and extend this round of contacts and provided the right contacts were made the time and effort would not be wasted. Possibly a phased visit scheme could be mounted to coincide with the prosence in U.K. of suitable officers on leave, who could spend perhaps two or three weeks making official contacts in Europe in liaison with our Brussels office. I am including in Appendix I estimated financial provision to cover the cost of a number of such visits in 1975.

56. In conversation with the Controller of News and News programmes of Flemish Radic and Television, Mr. Hammer Echts, I learnt he is proposing to send a television team to Indonesia this August and another to the Philippines early next year. I recommend I.S.D. should

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CONFIDENTIAL #B

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