RR TOKYO
GR 300
RESTRICTED
FM FCO 161218Z OCT 81
TO ROUTINE TOKYO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 473 OF 16 OCTOBER
FOR ATKINSON IT DIVISION (DOI)
Mr. Willi ayason f..
J4/10.
HKK.
47
121110.
19 OCT 1981
M
|
PA
Agnos. Take
Ma.co pliso
FOLLOWING TELEGRAM NOW REPEATED TO YOU AT REQUEST OF HKGD WAS
RECEIVED FROM BTC HONG KONG TELNO INDUS 135 OF 15 OCTOBER:
INFO FCO (FOR CLIT HKGD) DOT (FOR CRE4)
FOR ATKINSON, IT DIVISION
TV EXPORTS AND VOLUNTARY RESTRAINT AGREEMENTS (VRA)
W
BILL DORWARD, DIRECTOR OF TRADE INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS, OPENED HONG KONG ELECTRONICS FAIR YESTERDAY. IN HIS ADDRESS, WHICH WAS WIDELY REPORTED IN LAST NIGHT'S RADIO AND TV NEWS AND THIS MORNING'S
DAILIES, HE PUBLICLY DECLARED THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S OPPOSITION
TO THE CONCEPT OF VOLUNTARY RESTRAINTS ON THE EXPORT OF TELEVISION
SETS OR ANY OTHER SECTOR OF TRADE. SEE EXTRACT FROM TEXT IN MIFT.
2. DORWARD STUCK TO THE PREPARED TEXT OF HIS SPEECH WHICH AVOIDED
NAMING ANY SOURCE OF PROTECTIONIST PRESSURE. BUT ONE TV NEWSCAST
LAST NIGHT ALLUDED TO PRESSURE FROM BRITAIN: AND THIS MORNING AN EXPERIENCED BRITISH EXPATRIATE REPORTER OF RADIO TELEVISION HONG KONG (RTHK) CONTACTED MY INFORMATION, SECTION WHILE I WAS OUT OF
THE OFFICE - FOR DETAILS OF THE RIC/BREMA DELEGATION'S RECENT
VISIT. ALTHOUGH HE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN SATISFIED THAT IT WAS PART
OF A ROUTINE ANNUAL VISIT TO THE REGION FOR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE
HONG KONG ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY, I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THE FINGER
HAS BEEN POINTED.
3. IF RTHK, THE GOVERNMENT FINANCED STATION, SHOULD BE THE SOURCE OF ANY REPORT IMPLYING OFFICIAL SUPPORT FOR VRAS AGAINST HONG KONG, I SHALL ISSUE A DENIAL AND TAKE THE LINE THAT BRITISH INDUSTRY'S
MAIN CONCERN IS WITH THE CIRCUMVENTION OF EXISTING VRAS BY OTHER
COUNTRIES IN THE REGION.
CARRINGTON
76 repeatest to Toky
FOR ASHOWSON IT DIVIDthư
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