TNAG-2767-FCO40-3984-Hong-Kong-and-the-media-interviews--press-briefings-and-the--1993 — Page 22

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p.a.

Media

155462

MDLIAN 6753

#k

HKB 3011/1

RECE

IN REGISTRY

G APR 1993

(AMENDED DISTRIBUTION 14704)

REGISTRY

85

INDEX

PA

Action Taken

FM BANGKOK

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 165

OF 081156Z APRIL 93

AND TO PRIORITY BBC, BUSH HOUSE

BBC WS FOR BARRY WHITEHALL, CONTROLLER OF RESOURCES AND ADMINISTRATION

BBC WORLD SERVICE (WS) RELAY STATION IN THAILAND

SUMMARY

1. FIRST INSTALMENT UNDER PROPOSED AGREEMENT FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF BBC WS RELAY STATION HANDED OVER TO THAIS ON 8 APRIL. THAIS READY TO SIGN AGREEMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

DETAIL

2. DHM (FALL) TODAY (8 APRIL) PRESENTED TO SAKTHIP, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF INFORMATION DEPARTMENT, MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (MFA) A CHEQUE FOR BAHT 125 MILLION AS THE FIRST INSTALMENT OF THE PROPOSED AGREEMENT TO ESTABLISH A BBC WS RELAY STATION IN THAILAND. THE HANDOVER WAS (UNEXPECTEDLY) TELEVISED AND FORMED PART OF A PRESS CONFERENCE.

•

3. IN HIS (IMPROMPTU) SPEECH, DHM SAID THE PAYMENT WAS AN INDICATION OF THE WISH AND INTENTION OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND BBC TO SIGN BY THE END OF THE YEAR A FORMAL AGREEMENT TO ESTABLISH THE RELAY STATION. DHM PAID TRIBUTE TO THE COOPERATION AND ASSISTANCE OF THE MFA AND DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AND LOOKED FORWARD TO INCREASING COOPERATION BETWEEN THE UK AND THAI BROADCASTING ORGANISATIONS.

4.

IN HIS SPEECH, SAKTHIP SAID THE THAI GOVERNMENT WELCOMED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A BBC WS RELAY STATION AS AN INDICATION OF THE UK'S FAITH IN THE STABILITY AND STATUS OF THAILAND. HE REFERRED TO LONG-STANDING FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN UK AND THAILAND AND MENTIONED COOPERATION BETWEEN THE BBC AND RADIO THAILAND DURING THE GULF WAR AND THE LIBERIAN CRISIS. IN RESPONSE TO REPORTERS' QUESTIONS, SAKTHIP OUTLINED SAFEGUARDS IN THE AGREEMENT AGAINST THE RELAY STATION BEING USED AGAINST THAILAND'S DOMESTIC OR FOREIGN POLICY INTERESTS.

5. AFTER THE PRESS CONFERENCE, SAKTHIP SAID THAT THE DRAFT

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