TNAG-2276-FCO40-3275-Hong-Kong-and-the-media-1991 — Page 20

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO ROUTINE HONG KONG

TELNO 1333

OF 19120OZ JULY 91

CONFIDENTIAL

Mats 301|1

AND TO ROUTINE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

p.3.

Media

106233

MDLOAN 8016

TOP COPY Q DIST ?

BBC WORLD SERVICE: EAST ASIA RELAY STATION IN HONG KONG

•

1 YOU INDICATED BEFORE YOUR RECENT VISIT TO LONDON THAT YOU WISHED TO DISCUSS THE FUTURE OF THE BBC RELAY STATION IN HONG KONG. IN THE EVENT THIS ITEM WAS SQUEEZED OUT OF THE CROWDED AGENDA.

2. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW IF THERE IS A PARTICULAR REASON FROM HONG KONG'S POINT OF VIEW FOR RAISING THIS MATTER NOW. WE UNDERSTAND THE BBC ARE AT PRESENT DEVELOPING THEIR PLANS FOR A NEW RELAY STATION IN THAILAND, WHICH COULD, IF NECESSARY, SERVE THE SAME AREAS AS THE HONG KONG RELAY STATION. THERE IS ALSO THE QUESTION OF WHETHER EMISSIONS FROM THE HONG KONG TRANSMITTER WOULD INTERFERE WITH THE INSTRUMENTATION OF AIRCRAFT USING THE NEW HONG KONG AIRPORT, AS SOME PRESS REPORTS IN HONG KONG HAVE SUGGESTED. FINALLY THERE IS THE KEY QUESTION OF CHINA'S ATTITUDE TO THE LONG-TERM FUTURE OF THE RELAY STATION.

3. IT WOULD CLEARLY BE HELPFUL TO THE BBC IN THEIR FORWARD-PLANNING IF WE COULD BE SURE WHAT THE CHINESE ATTITUDE WOULD BE TO THE TRANSMITTER CONTINUING IN OPERATION IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997. WE COULD, OF COURSE, ASK THEM. BUT, EVEN IF WE DID, AND IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT OF OUR RECEIVING AN UNEQUIVOCALLY FAVOURABLE REPLY, WE COULD NOT BE SURE THAT THE ANSWER WE GOT TODAY WOULD BE COPPER-BOTTOMED IN 6 YEARS TIME.

4.

UNLESS THERE ARE OVERRIDING REASONS OF WHICH WE ARE UNAWARE, AND SUBJECT TO THE VIEWS OF PEKING AND UKREP JLG, IT WOULD NOT SEEM FROM HERE A GOOD IDEA TO RAISE THIS SUBJECT WITH THE

CHINESE NOW. WE HAVE PLENTY OF DELICATE HONG KONG BUSINESS TO CONDUCT WITH CHINA AS IT IS AND WOULD NOT WANT, UNNECESSARILY, TO BRING UP NEW, POTENTIALLY TRICKY ISSUES BEFORE HAVING GIVEN THE AIRPORT AGREEMENT A CHANCE TO SETTLE IN.

5.

THE CHINESE CONTINUE TO JAM CERTAIN BBC BROADCASTS, AND LAST MONTH, AROUND THE ANNIVERSARY OF TIANANMEN, THE PEOPLE'S DAILY.

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CONFIDENTIAL