TNAG-2752-FCO40-3967-Organisation-for-Economic-Co-operation-and-Development-(OECD-1994 — Page 260

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OECD File

8

ODA &

Overseas Development Administration

94 Victoria Street, London SW1E 5JL

Direct Line: 071-917 0131

Mr Jenkin Thomas (BY FAX) UK Delegate to the OECD 19 Rue de Franqueville

75116 PARIS

HKB 091/3

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

30 MAR 1993

DESK OFFICER INDEX

REGISTRY Action Taken

GTN:

3535 0131

29 March 1993

Dear Jenkin

DEVELOPMENT CENTRE WORK PROGRAMME: PROPOSED 1994 SHORT TERM STUDY ON

'CHINA'S FUTURE OUTLOOK AND THE HONG KONG DOLLAR'

Thank you for your letter of 23 March; your explanation of the scope and state of the OECD dialogue with developing countries is most useful. Clearly, there is quite a lot of clarification needed in fleshing out this concept and in defining the role of the

Development Centre within it. I am very content with your brief.

Our approach to this question needs to be based upon the following principles:-

2.

There is no need to establish a expensive mechanism for the OECD to conduct dialogue with developing countries. Dialogue should be conducted on a low key ad hoc and highly specific basis targeting important policy makers.

We do not wish to see the Development Centre diverted from its principal function of undertaking research relevant to developing countries.

The Development Centre should only become involved in supporting and participating in a dialogue where there is a clear relationship between the dialogue and the research it is carrying out and to the extent that such activity is commensurate with the implementation of its agreed research programme.

Proposed Short Term Study on "China's Future Outlook on the Hong Kong Dollar"

3.

You will have seen the correspondence from Hong Kong and from the FCO on the subject of this short term study. We obviously need to be sensitive to these views but equally an outright objection to the study on our part could as equally be misinterpreted.

Switchboard 071-917 7000 Telex 263907-8 Fax 071-917 0734

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