TNAG-1695-FCO40-2351-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-1987 — Page 197

T WM Smith Esq Hong Kong Dept FCO

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ETTION

NLD 30

"RAULINI

24FEB 1987

laken

20012

British Embassy

11 Guang Hua Lu Peking

Ref : 020/393/14

22 January 1987

mek CM Jeek 3511

ст -M. Langdon Bzdr

M.

Thain

in 23L

10

lom,

BBC FAR EASTERN RELAY STATION, HONG KONG

Interesting & encouraging.

Jml 30;

(The CA

(Broadcasting)

1. We have heard from Mark Brayne, Peking BBC correspondent, that during the summer of 1986 Brian Hanrahan, then the BBC Hong Kong correspondent, was taken out to lunch by two representatives of NCNA Hong Kong. Hanrahan wondered about the purpose of this lunch as discussion during most of it was desultory. However, towards the end of the meal the NCNA representatives made clear to Hanrahan that NCNA would be very happy for the BBC Relay Station to continue broad- casting from Hong Kong after 1997.

2. The above may be old hat to you as Hanrahan told Mark Brayne that he had reported the gist of his conversation with NCNA to Bush House in London. However, neither Tony Insall nor I could recall such a categoric statement of support (as reported third hand by Mark Brayne) for the continued operation of the Far Eastern Relay Station after 1997.

Yours

Vand

eve,

D G Blunt

First Secretary

cc; R N Peirce Esq, DPA, Hong Kong

Information Dept, FCO

FED, FCO

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