TNAG-1926-FCO40-2742-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Sino-British-Joint-Liaison-Group-sub-gro-1989 — Page 105

CONFIDENTIAL

10

circuits out of a total of 13,352 circuits of various

types used for external telecommunications to/from Hong

Kong were carried by INTELSAT satellites.) Hong Kong

relies on these channels to maintain an efficient external

telecommunications service. Hong Kong

Kong is now a major

financial, commercial and industrial centre of Asia. The

activities in the various sectors of the economy depend

heavily on telecommunications, both internal and

external. An efficient telecommunication infrastructure

is therefore vital to the continued development of the

economy of Hong Kong. Through contacts with the UK Party

and the UK Signatory and the participation at the INTELSAT

meetings, Hong Kong is able to keep abreast of the latest

developments in the policy making and operation of the

INTELSAT and where necessary makes proposals through the

UK Party or Signatory to protect Hong Kong's interests.

..

15.

Through direct communications between the Cable &

Wireless Group and INTELSAT, the approval and the

allotment of space segment capacity for the subsequent

operation of the earth stations in Hong Kong can proceed

in the most efficient manner, and the Group need not

reveal to the Signatory details which it would prefer, for

purely commercial reasons, to remain confidential

between the Group and INTELSAT. In this connection it

should be remembered that the UK Signatory, like many

other Signatories, operates in competition with other

users of the space segment such as the Cable and Wireless

Group.

as

Page 105Page 106