TNAG-1077-FCO40-1327-Broadcasting-in-Hong-Kong-proposed-BBC-relay-station-1981 — Page 111

PS/Mr Ridley

We spoke

Epoka (11A

M. Ziar Masary

CONFIDENTIAL

Pi.

speaks.

મ +).

нніг

cc: Private Secretary HKIZ 306|| FED

PS/PUS

Sir E Youde

Mr Donald

Mr Mills

IINGD

RECEPTED IN REGISTRY. Sformation Dept

15 JUN 1981

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

No

་་་་་-

RELAY STATION IN HONG KONG

FA

Mas

Finance Dept

see

1. When I saw Sir Ian Trethowan today about another matter he raised the question of the possible BBC relay station in

Hong Kong.

29

30

2. Sir Ian said that, as I knew, the Chairman of the BBC had recently visited China and Hong Kong. Mr Howard had got the impression from Mr Haddon Cave in Hong Kong that if the Hong Kong Government could be convinced that a relay station there would serve its own interest, and improve relations with China, there would be no problem in the Hong Kong Government paying

part or all of the costs involved (I gather this would include both the installation and the land). Mr Howard had also

received the impression from the Chinese that they themselves could see no objection to such a station. Sir Ian Trethowan and Mr Dick Francis, who had been in China themselves last year, had got the same impression from their hosts. The Chairman was now thinking of writing to the Secretary of State to report all this; and to suggest that there seemed a possibility that, if these expressions of interest were serious, it might be possible to build the Hong Kong relay station sooner rather than later.

3. I said I thought it a good idea for Mr Howard to write to the Secretary of State to convey his impressions. We had so

far only heard of these second-hand, via the news agencies. Our own attitude to a possible relay station in Hong Kong could be expressed as follows.

See 13

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