TNAG-2698-FCO40-3904-Diplomatic-representation-of-Hong-Kong-overseas-1993 — Page 21

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Our telno 388: Diplomatic title for Hong Kong Commissioner for Economic and Trade Affairs, USA

1. In your telno 260, you agreed that the working title of the senior post that we have created to head our Economic and Trade Office in Washington should be "Hong Kong Commissioner for Economic and Trade Affairs, USA". The new Head of our Washington ETO will also have responsibility for our ETO's in New York and San Francisco. For our internal purposes, the shorthand reference to this post is Commissioner (USA). The first Commissioner (USA), Mr. E.B. Wiggham, CBE, will assume duty in Washington on 8 October.

2. It was also agreed that the Commissioner (USA) should be given the diplomatic title of "Minister". We propose that his full diplomatic title should be "Minister (Hong Kong Economic and Trade Affairs)". This is, unavoidably, identical to Mr. Peter Lo's diplomatic title. In order to reflect the fact that Mr. Wiggham is senior to Mr. Lo, we propose that he should appear before Mr. Lo in the diplomatic list.

3.

We

When Mr. Lo's tour in Washington ends in February 1994, we propose that his successor should be given the diplomatic title of "Minister/Counsellor (Hong Kong Economic and Trade Affairs)". This designation is appropriate because the officer concerned will be junior to Mr. Wiggham but senior to the two existing Counsellors (Hong Kong Economic and Trade Affairs) in our Washington ETO. understand that the title "Minister/Counsellor", though not commonly used by HMG, is sometimes used, e.g. there is a Minister/Counsellor in BE Brasilia. We hope that you and HMA Washington will find this proposal acceptable.

4.

Subject to your and Washington's views, grateful if you would request Washington to take action on Mr. Wiggham's accreditation as proposed in paragraph 2 above.

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