TNAG-2658-FCO40-3854-Future-of-Hong-Kong-British-Consulate-General-1992 — Page 126

CONFIDENTIAL MANAGEMENT IN CONFIDENCE

A

ANNEX C

075077 MDLIAN 0826

CONFIDENTIAL

MANAGEMENT IN CONFIDENCE

FM BTC HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 370

OF 101115Z DECEMBER 91

18/19

FOR BERTRAM OED AND HKD.

CONSULATE GENERAL AND THE BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (BCC)

1.

YOU WILL BE AWARE THAT WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING SYMPATHETICALLY FOR SOME TIME ON THE POSSIBILITY OF COLOCATING THE BCC IN THE NEW CONSULATE GENERAL OFFICE BUILDING. WE AGREED WITH SMITH DURING HIS RECENT VISIT WITH NEWEY THAT 1500 SQ FT OF SPACE WOULD BE EAR-MARKED IN THE SOR FOR THE CHAMBER IN AN AREA IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE COMMERCIAL SECTION.

2.

IF WE CAN OFFER THEM OFFICE SPACE, THE BCC NEED AN INDICATION OF OUR THINKING ON THE RENT, IF ANY, THAT WE WILL CHARGE THEM AND SOME IDEA OF THE KIND OF LEASE ARRANGEMENT WE WILL EXPECT BEFORE THEY FINALLY DECIDE TO CONFIRM THEIR WISH TO COLOCATE WITH US.

3. I AGREE WITH SMITH THAT I WOULD NOT TAKE THE MATTER UP WITH

THE BCC UNTIL WE HAVE MORE OF A STEER FROM YOU. THE SPACE WE ARE

NOW THINKING OF OFFERING THE CHAMBER IS MUCH LESS THAN THEIR

LATEST SUGGESTED REQUIREMENT BUT THEIR LATEST FIGURE ALLOWS FOR A LOT FOR EXPANSION BEYOND THEIR PRESENT NEEDS. MOREOVER, I BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN MANAGE WITH QUITE A SMALL SPACE, LARGELY OFFICES FOR ADMINISTRATION IF WE ARE ABLE TO SHARE WITH THEM, AS I HOPE WE COULD, FACILITIES SUCH AS CONFERENCE ROOMS, LECTURE THEATRES ETC AVAILABLE TO THE REST OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF.

4.

I APPRECIATE THAT QUESTIONS OF SECURITY, DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY, ETC WILL NEED TO BE FACED, SUT I HOPE WE CAN ADOPT A SYMPATHETIC APPROACH. THE CHAMBER WOULD BE WORKING VERY MUCH IN

SUPPORT OF OUR COMMERCIAL INTERESTS AND OF OUR COMMERCIAL

SECTION.

HEAP

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CONFIDENTIAL MANAGEMENT IN CONFIDENCE