26)
Extract par "South Chines
Reference.
Morning lest in prit 1464
"No attempt by Government
to
ET
hide
make clear
Limmediately that I
anything from us"
by Brian Walden MP
Indeed they have met and was moreover on land prepared to give us. It is every request we have made not due for redevelopment. with courtesy and considera-
therefore all the more un- fortunate that these frank should in part misrepresented
been
-am-not writing this article in order to dis- pense some instant wisdom for the benefit of
tion. Nor have they tried Talks with officials of the exchanges the people or Government of to shield us from the realities Government have on all oc- have Hongkong. I have neither the of Hongkong life. I can give casions been cordial, and they so as to make it appear that : power nor the inclination to
one personal illustration of have gone out of their way we were constantly "demand," "insist," "recom-
in the this. I saw privately two to supply any information process of telling the Govern- mend." or "suggest" anything squatter areas, and was then requested. I have been sur- ment how to rule their own to the Hongkong Government. taken by Government officials prised at the amount of time subjects. The article has been written to see a third. This was by senior members of the Hong- because I insisted that all far the worst of the three, kong Government have been press briefing be stopped, when I realised colleague and myself
that my
were
being forced into the position of appearing to give unsought advice to Hongkong.
In the UK a comment from a public figure is understood to be just that, and no more, It is supposed that he replied to a direct question from a Journalist and not that he was L giving the world some great new thought for its improve- ment and gratification. "Other countries, other cus- toms," and hence this article which the South China Morning Post requested in order to get some unabridged comment that might in part help to set the record straight.
The intention
May I answer first the question of what I am doing : here? I have come as part
of the continuing process whereby the House of Com- mons shows its concern for the welfare of Hongkong. The intention is that I should learn more about the prob- lems of Hongkong and then use the knowledge to assist Hongkong in any reasonable
way on my return to the UK. I am not here to make public statements, and would have preferred not to have had to do so.
Could I reply to some of the attacks on the Hongkong Government which I have read in connection with our visit? It is utterly untrue that the Hongkong Govern- ment have prevented
us in any way from seeing anything that
we wished to see..
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No.51
12 MAY 1969
+KILI /10
1/10
I have told the Hongkong Government that in my opin- ion such meetings in future should be regarded as strictly confidential, thus clarifying the position. I blame myself for not adhering to my original intention in this re- spect. Apparently good reasons were given for mak- ing public comment, but I am dow convinced that con- fidentiality is. the wiser courge.