TNAG-1151-FCO40-1431-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-the-United-Nations-1983 — Page 144

Department of Health and Social Security Alexander Fleming House Elephant and Castle London SE1 6BY

DHSS)

Telex 883669

Mrs d Tucker

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

United Nations Vepartment

King Charles Street

LONDON LA DAI

Dear Cine

>

Telephone 01-407 5522 qXİ-

HKK 0221

reference

PA

16?

Richrome £12.8

Yout refore! RESTRY 10, 57 14 AUG 1980

Our reference

PA

Date

11 kugust-1930-

Aw14/s

THE ATTEIDANCE OF HONGKONG AT WHO REGIONAL COMMITTEE MEETINGS

"

Thank you for letting me have sight of the letter dated 17 July 1980 from the Hongkong Government Secretariat concerning the possible attendance of Hongkong at meetings of the WHO Regional Committee.

You will be aware from your records that longkong provided a delegate in alternate years with Fiji until the latter's independence from which time it continued to provi›le a delegate until 1972. The admission of the People's Republic of China to the i! posed the problem of establishing a balance between an unfortunate weakening of dongkong'o right to participate under the UK's aegis and the damage to K and Hongkong interests which could have resulted from provoking the Chinese. The arrangement eventually agreed upon was for the UK's interests to be preserved by the presence of a representative from ODA at the meetings of the Regional Committee.

1 know of no underlying, reasons for longkong's sudden interest in attending the Regional Committee but I am copying these papers to Dr Field in his capacity as Medical adviser to Obi and to Dr Nicholson at ODA who will be attending the next meeting of the begional Committee, as they may be able to throw some light on the subject.

You copy M

inimidiately to AUS

Willemson, HICGA

CALA

1218.

Yours

Qvev