Ref: T.S. 2/57 III
กา
Mr Marsh
SECRET
ANG istul Старубата
Dr.
Dear Bunny
5' will not fovers any further. Could I have a Suitable draft reply?
21
COLONIAL SECRETARIAT,
HONG KONG,
3 April, 1969.
14/4
Thank you for your letter HKK 13/2 dated 25th February 1969 about L.I.C. Internal and External Intelligence Reports. I am sorry not to have replied more quickly but I thought it better to wait until Brian Slevin's return from leave because he is the one most concerned and I knew had discussed the question with you. I am writing on Sir Hugh Norman-Walker's behalf because he has not yet had the time to familiarise himself with this problem.
I have, however, discussed the matter briefly with him, and understand him to be in agreement with the views which follow.
We have given your request a lot of thought in the L.I.C. both before and since Slevin's return. I think we understand where you feel there is a lack, but we believe that the sort of information which you miss rarely, if ever, bulks as large as it did in the days before May 1967. Local "political" parties and the United Nations Association are no longer really significant, their influence having waned mainly because events of 1967 have placed the alternatives for Hong Kong in such stark contrast. They continue to criticise Government, of course, though even in this they themselves are much muted, but they no longer attract much attention. In the current climate it is also true that Russian activities, M.P.s visits etc. do not have the significance which they had before. Obviously all this will probably change and when it does we will report in the fortnightly assessments. We will also provide on these matters the sort of background papers which Special Branch have been producing in highly commendable detail for nearly two years on every aspect of opposition to Government.
Nonetheless I appreciate your concern and the usefulness to you of this peripheral information in your dealings with Ministers. D.S.B. has offered to produce periodic reports to fill the gap, but we come now to a question of priorities. Such reports inevitably take up time and manpower, not only in collection but in drafting, editing and production. I know that D.S.B. would prefer to concentrate his efforts on matters of greater significance, and I must say that both I and the L.I.C. support him in this.
W.S. Carter, Esq., C.V.O.,
Foreign and Commonwealth Office,
London S.W.1.
AR
15 APR 1969
HKK13/2
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