CONFIDENTIAL
Reference...
Mr. Godden
The Foreign Office provided the attached pioco on Anglo-Chinese relations for use by the Minister in Hong Kong. I suggest that an arrangement might be made to insert this in the television interview subject to the amendments proposed below (which the Foreign Office are quite prepared to accept) and to final clearance
with the Governor.
2. The department is unhappy about the last four sentences. They carry the implication of readiness to nogotiate about Hong Kong and open up the way for the Chinese to resurrect and press their "demands". shares our doubts. I suggest that either:-
or
Mr. Hall
(a) we omit the last four sentences altogether;
(b) we substitute for them the following:-
"We for our part shall continue to
work for this. But I must make it
clear that we cannot consider any abdication of our authority and responsibilities in Hong Kong".
The Foreign Office are content to leave the amendment to us. I personally favour (b), chiefly because I think it desirable that somewhere in his public utterances in Hong Kong the Minister should make the point about not abdicating our authority and responsibilities.
L. 5. Carter
(W.S. Carter)
10.10.67.
Copies to:
Mr. Hall
Sir A. Galsworthy
Mr. James Murray (F.0.)
CONFIDENTIAL