TNAG-1122-FCO40-1397-Dependent-Territories-and-the-Universal-Postal-Union-(UPU)-1982 — Page 48

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TO EXPRESS CONCERN, WHICH HE CLAIMED WAS SHARED BY THE JAPANESE

AND THAIS, ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL. HE THOUGHT SUCH A MOVE COULD

LEAD TO QUESTIONS ABOUT HONG KONG'S QUOTE COLONIAL UNQUOTE STATUS.

HE SUGGESTED INSTEAD THAT HONG KONG SHOULD APPLY IN ITS OWN

RIGHT AS A MEMBER OF THE BRITISH ENSEMBLE OF OVERSEAS POSTAL

AUTHORITIES (IE AS A MEMBER OF THE UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION.)

IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF THE NEW ZEALANDERS COULD EXPLAIN HOW

THEIR PROPOSAL FITS INTO APPU'S CONSTITUTION AND THE CURRENT PRO-

CEDURE FOR SUCH AN APPLICATION. ARE THE NEW ZEALANDERS CONFIDENT

THAT THERE WILL NOT IN ANY CASE BE CONTROVERSY OVER HONG KONG'S

ATTENDANCE?

5. WE HAVE ALSO RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM THE BRUNEI POSTAL

AUTHORITIES TO ATTEND THE COUNCIL MEETING. IN VIEW OF BRUNEI'S

DIFFERENT STATUS, WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE THE SAME DIFFICULTIES

AS WITH HONG KONG. WE INTEND TO APPLY FOR OBSERVER STATUS ON

BRUNEI'S BEHALF AND SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR THE ADVICE OF THE

NEW ZEALAND MFA ON THE APPROPRIATE PROCEDURE.

HURD

NNNN

DISTRIBUTION:-

MINIMAL

ESSD

FED

HKGD

SEAD

COPIES TO:-

MR WATTS, LEGAL ADVISERS

MISS S SMITH, DOI

SPD

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