RESTRICTED
FM HAMILTON
HKC193/1
RESTRICTED
10 SEP 1990
TO DESKBY 30160OZ FCOL
TELNO 135
OF 301445Z AUGUST 90
TOP CO-Y Q DIST?
AND TO ROUTINE GRAND TURK, WELLINGTON, HONG KONG
X
23
137562
MDHIAN 6181
Holding
fel to HK.
ря
YOUR TELNOS 118 TO GRAND TURK AND 151: ALLOCATION OF CALL SIGNS TO HONG KONG
1 THE MINISTRY OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS HAS RESPONDED NEGATIVELY TO THE REQUEST TO REALLOCATE CERTAIN CALL SIGNS TO HONG KONG.
·
2. WHEN BERMUDA'S TELECOMMUNICATIONS INSPECTOR, MR E C PITMAN, ATTENDED THE ITU PLENIPOTENTIARY CONFERENCE IN NICE IN JUNE 1989 HE EXPLAINED BERMUDA'S POSITION TO THE UK DELEGATION THERE. UNDERSTOOD THEN THAT BERMUDA'S OBJECTIONS TO THE PROPOSED CHANGES HAD BEEN ACCEPTED AND THAT THE DTI REPRESENTATIVES WOULD SEEK ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM.
3.
THIS
THE PROPOSED CHANGES WOULD INVOLVE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF EXPENSE, MOSTLY MANHOURS, IN IMPLEMENTATION AND IN MONITORING. IS PARTLY DUE TO THE SIZE OF BERMUDA'S SHIPPING REGISTER NOW AS LARGE IN TONNAGE AS THE UK'S. OBVIOUSLY THE BUREAUCRATIC SIDE OF MAKING THE REQUIRED CHANGES COULD BE MANAGED BUT BERMUDA DOES NOT WANT TO HAVE TO DO SO.
4.
MOST IMPORTANTLY THE PROPOSED CHANGES WILL PRESENT THE INDEPENDENT VSB RADIO AND TV STATIONS WITH AN IDENTITY CRISIS WHICH THE COMPANY WILL RESIST. VSB RADIO WILL LOBBY QUITE HARD AND WE CAN EXPECT THE MINISTER OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND THE PREMIER TO DEFLECT SOME OF THE LOCAL HEAT ON TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. BERMUDIANS WILL NOT TAKE KINDLY TO BEING PRESSED INTO ACCEPTING THE CHARGES AND I CAN SEE THE ISSUE BECOMING A SORE POINT IN OUR BILATERIAL RELATIONSHIP.
5.
IS THERE NO EASIER SOLUTION? WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME OF THE UK DELEGATIONS DELIBERATION ON THE MATTER AFTER THE 1989 NICE CONFERENCE? SHOULD WE NOT FIRSTLY SEEK ALLOCATION OF A NEW SERIES FOR HONG KONG'S EXCLUSIVE USE FROM THE ITU BEFORE PROPOSING THE OPTION IN PARA 7 OF YOUR TELNO 118?
6.
COMMS: PLEASE ADVANCE COPY TO PAUL HKD, PENFOLD WIAD AND
BEAMISH AUS.
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