TNAG-2967-FCO40-4246-Future-of-Hong-Kong-British-Consulate-General-inclusion-of--1993 — Page 55

18 JUN

*93

09:07 DTI>0T2/2A+2C+2D+2E.

To

1

Mr Murray

CC

2

PS/Minister for Trade

From

Miss J M Gray

XAAA2d

215 5273

June 1993

P.3/4

PS/President

Mr Roberts

Mr Baker

Mr Love

Ms Teare

Mr Lawrence

Lady Strathnaver

ted these

amendments in to Jear Queg 21/6465

BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN HONG KONG

Issue

How to reply to the letter from Lord Prior about housing the British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong within the new British Consulate General when this is completed in 1996.

Recommendation

That the Minister reply along the lines of the attached draft.

Timing

Routine.

Background

Lord Prior has written to support the efforts of the Chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, who is the local GEC representative) to lobby for rent-free space for the Chamber in the new British Consulate General building in Hong Kong.

As has already been conveyed to James Chiu, the FCO view which we share, is that while they would like to see a strong proactive Chamber co-located in the new BCG building when it is completed, there is no reason why the Chamber should not pay a fair rent for that accommodation.

Lord Prior raised the issue when he saw Mr Goodlad last week on another matter when he maintained that the Chamber had previously been promised free accommodation. Mr Goodlad Kas agreed to look into this. However The FCO ha told us that no formal offer of free accommodation has ever been made.

JEAN GRAY

·now