TNAG-1989-FCO40-2822-Hong-Kong-Telecommunications-(Amendment)-Ordinance-1989-(No.-1989 — Page 323

CONFIDENTIAL

FM PEKING

copy 2. Enter

PLEASE NOTE

CONFIDENTIAL

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HKD

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TO TELELETTER HONG KONG

TELELETTER 020/393/43

OF 22014OZ FEBRUARY 89

COPY TO

137454 MDITAN 3053

COPY TOO MDTTAN

COPIES HAVE EZEN PASSED TO

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AND TO TELELETTER F C 0, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

EN

FROM

FILE REF

FOLLOWING FOR

COPIED TO

A J PYNE ESQ, PEKING

020/393/43 OF 21 FEBRUARY

R C WILSON ESQ, G D B, HONG KONG

CT WOOD ESQ, H K D, F C O

GH LEICESTER ESQ, UKREP JLG, HONG KONG

MS S MORTON, RD (FE), F C O

BBC RELAY STATION IN HONG KONG AND 1997

1. I FEAR THAT WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO TRACK DOWN THE STATE COUNCIL

BRAODCASTING CONTROL REGULATIONS MENTIONED IN CHRIS WOOD'S TELELETTER TO YOU OF 15 DECEMBER, OR, INDEED, ANY OTHER REGULATIONS WHICH MIGHT AFFECT OPERATION OF THE BBC RELAY STATION BEYOND 1997.

2.

BEFORE PERRY KELLER'S DEPARTURE, ONE OF HIS LOCAL CONTACTS OFFERED HIM SIGHT OF SOME RESTRICTED BROADCASTING CONTROL REGULATIONS, PROVIDED THAT PERRY COULD BE FAIRLY SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT HE WANTED TO SEE, AND GIVE SOME BACKGROUND TO HIS REQUEST. WE THOUGHT IT SAFER TO WALK AWAY FROM THIS RATHER THAN RISK TRIPPING OVER SLEEPING DOGS.

3. IT MAY BE WORTH MENTIONING HERE FOR PURPOSES OF ELIMINATION

THAT THE MFA ISSUED NEW 'REGULATIONS OF THE PRC ON THE INSTALLATION AND USE OF WIRELESS TRANSMITTER-RECEIVERS FOR THE PURPOSE OF COMMUNICATION BY DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS IN CHINA' IN NOVEMBER 1987. A COPY WAS SENT TO C O D, F C O IN HARRIS'S LETTER OF

OF 2 NOVEMBER 1987. BUT UNLESS WIRES HAVE GOT VERY TANGLED THIS WOULD SEEM TO BE A QUITE SEPERATE ISSUE.

,

4. WE SEE LITTLE ADVANTAGE IN PURSUING THE QUESTION FURTHER AT THIS STAGE. MILE'S ORIGINAL CONCERN OVER THE REGULATIONS GOVERNING CONDUCT OF FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS HAS BEEN SHOWN AS A RED HERRING. ANY FURTHER PROBING COULD AROUSE CHINESE SUSPICIONS, AND STIR THEM INTO TAKING AN UNNECESSARILY EARLY AND POSSIBLY UNHELPFUL STAND ON THIS ISSUE.