TNAG-2276-FCO40-3275-Hong-Kong-and-the-media-1991 — Page 43

& ms.

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{

pa. Medio

MAB 301/1

KLE!

From: A D Harris

11. 1091

Information Department

MsSagh 10

Date: 9 July 1991

14

cc: PS/Lord Caithness

Mr Burns

Mr Paul, Hong Kong Department

BANCE Meante below. P In Llewelyn, Legal

Miss Spencer

PS/Mr Lennox-Boyd

9.7.

Advisers.

BBC WSTV AND HUTCHISON: REQUEST FOR OFFICIAL LETTER OF COMFORT

Problem

1. How to respond to the request from the Hong Kong company

Hutchison for an official letter of comfort in support of their proposed agreement with BBC World Service Television (WSTV) to

provide a satellite news and information channel for Asia?

Recommendation

A

0

2.

I recommend that Miss Spencer should write in the terms of the

attached draft letter, making clear that she is doing so with

Ministerial endorsement. Hong Kong Department concur.

Background and Argument

3. The request was made in the course of a call on Miss Spencer on

27 June by Mr Richard Li and Lord Derwent of Hutchison and

Mr Chris Irwin, the Head of BBC World Service Television (WSTV).

The details are spelled out in a letter handed to Miss Spencer by

Mr Li, Deputy Chairman of Hytchvision subsidiary of Hutchison

a

Whampoa Limited, and in paragraphs 4 and 5 of the record of the

meeting. Mr Li and Lord Derwent made it clear that Hutchison attached considerable importance to receiving an official expression of support from HMG for their proposed venture with WSTV. They see

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