RESTRICTED COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE
124717
MDHOAN 4962
5. YOUR TUR CONFIRMS THE RESTRICTION ON HUTCHISON BROADCASTING IN CANTONESE. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, BEFORE WE REVERT TO LORD DERWENT AND LI, WHICH WE NEED TO DO SOON, TO KNOW THE REASONS FOR THIS RESTRICTION, AND WHETHER THERE IS ANY CHANCE OF IT BEING LIFTED. WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL BE PREPARED TO LOOK AT THE QUESTION AGAIN. FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE BOTH THE UK AND HONG KONG HAVE A CLEAR AND STRONG INTEREST IN THE SUCCESS OF A WSTV/HUTCHISON DEAL WHICH WOULD GIVE CONTINUING ACCESS IN HONG KONG, CHINA AND THE REST OF ASIA, UP TO AND BEYOND 1997, TO A BRITISH SATELLITE TV SERVICE INCLUDING RESPONSIBLE AND OBJECTIVE NEWS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS PROGRAMMES. LI'S ARGUMENT THAT CANTONESE IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE COMMERCIAL VIABILITY OF THE SERVICE SEEMS REASONABLE: AND IN ANY EVENT THE USE OF CANTONESE WOULD ENHANCE ITS VALUE FOR US AND FOR HONG KONG IN INFORMATION POLICY TERMS. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
HURD
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MAIN
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SEAD
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44
DISTRIBUTION
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PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD
PS/LORD CAITHNESS
SIR J COLES
MISS SPENCER MR BURNS
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