TNAG-1167-FCO40-1447-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 53

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(A) SHE DREW ATTENTION AGAIN TO THEIR VOLUNTARY

(B)

(C)

(D)

CHANGE OF THE TITLE AND THRUST OF THE CONFERENCE. SHE REMINDED US THAT THIS FOLLOWS IN A LINE OF

CONFERENCES ORGANIZED BY "THE ECONOMIST" AND

AIMS TO BE ECONOMIC IN ESSENCE AND NON-

GOVERNMENTAL IN NATURE.

SHE ASKED FOR A CLEARER INDICATION OF THE

INTENDED HONG KONG GOVERNMENT PARTICIPATION "AT THE TECHNICAL LEVEL", IE PRECISELY WHO AND WHAT LEVEL THIS MIGHT BE. SHE WAS CONCERNED THAT WITHOUT SOME SUFFICIENTLY SENIOR OFFICIAL AND/OR FAIRLY "BIG NAMES", THE CONFERENCE MIGHT BE RELEGATED TO A LOWER LEVEL THAN ENVISAGED

BY "THE ECONOMIST".

ALSO RELEVANT TO (C) ABOVE, SHE SUGGESTED THAT WHOEVER ATTENDED FROM HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE ABLE, "AUTHORITATIVELY AND PROVOCATIVELY", NOT ONLY TO SPEAK ABOUT ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES IN HONG KONG (PARTICULARLY IN THE CONTEXT OF MAJOR ENGINEERING AND SIMILAR CONTRACTS) BUT ALSO TO COMMENT ON MARK SCHREIBER'S PAPER,

"THE POLITICAL FUTURE OF HONG KONG".

4.

MARION BIEBER FURTHER INTIMATED :

(A) THAT RODERICK MACFARQUHAR HAS AGREED TO CHAIR

THE CONFERENCE.

(B)

THAT THE SPEAKER FROM HONG KONG AND SHANGHAI BANK WILL BE PETER BROCKMAN, WHO (SHE UNDER- STANDS) IS A GENERAL MANAGER IN THE BANK'S MAIN OFFICE IN HONG KONG AND WAS PREVIOUSLY IN

CHARGE OF OPERATIONS IN GERMANY.

I NOTE THAT PARA 4 OF SHE MAY WELL HAVE GOT (B) WRONG. YOUR TELNO 260 SUGGESTS THAT "AN ASSISTANT MANAGER WILL

ATTEND"

5.

FINALLY, MARION BIEBER HAS RAISED THE QUESTION OF FUTURE COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. UNDERSTANDABLY, SHE WOULD LIKE TO PRESS AHEAD WITH ARRANGE- MENTS, INCLUDING THE ISSUE OF INVITATIONS TO OUR GOVERNMENT

PAR

.../FOR