TNAG-1147-FCO40-1427-UK-policy-towards-South-East-Asia--including-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 61

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DSR 11C

final agenda before reaching a conclusion.

The feeling

here is that you yourselves are best placed to decide

whether or not it is worth you attending the Conference.

A possible solution, if you were agreeable, might be

for Christian to attend as the Hong Kong representative.

Not only is he keen to go but this arrangement would

also have the advantage of ensuring that your office is

not left under-staffed during the Conference. But I hope

you will not mind if we leave it to you and Christian to

make the decisions. You will want to bear in mind that

Lord Belstead will be heading the Conference,less than

a week after his visit to Hong Kong. We can therefore

be sure that the Hong Kong angle will not be overlooked!

3. As regards how soon you should decide on attendance,

pose I understand that a late decision will not post any

problems, although I imagine Bangkok would be grateful

for, say, a week's notice. You in any case will not

want to decide anything before you have seen the agenda

for the Conference.

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