CYPHER/CAT-A-

CONFIDENT I AL

ROUTINE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

TELEGRAM NUMBER 141

for COPY

TO HONG KONG

21 FEBRUARY 1969

(HKK 14/8)

29

CONFIDENTIAL

HONG KONG POLICE AND AUXILIARY POLICE FORCES.

THE QUEEN HAS APPROVED INFORMALLY THE PROPOSAL THAT THE TITLE QUOTE ROYAL UNQUOTE BE ACCORDED TO THE HONG KONG POLICE AND AUXILIARY POLICE FORCES: AND PRINCESS ALEXANDRA HAS AGREED INFORMALLY TO BE THEIR HONORARY QUOTE COMMANDANT GENERAL UNQUOTE. THE NECESSARY FORMAL SUBMISSIONS WILL NOW BE MADE AND MEANWHILE THE ABOVE INFORMATION REMAINS CONFIDENTIAL.

2. IN HIS LETTER TO YOU OF 13 AUGUST, 1968, CARTER MENTIONED THE INTEREST OF LIEUTENANT COMMANDER MAYDON, MP, IN THIS MATTER. SINCE THEN, THE LATTER HAS ADDRESSED SEVERAL LETTERS ON THE SUBJECT TO THE PRIME MINISTER, WHO HAS KEPT HIM INFORMED OF PROGRESS. THE PRIME MINISTER HAS NOW DECIDED THAT AFTER FORMAL APPROVAL HAS BEEN GIVEN, THE NEWS WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN REPLY TO AN ARRANGED PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION TO BE PUT BY COMMANDER MAYDON.

3.

WE SHALL ADVISE YOU BY TELEGRAM OF THE DATE AND TIME THE QUESTION WILL BE PUT SO THAT SIMULTANEOUS RELEASE OF THE NEWS IN HONG KONG CAN BE ARRANGED. MEANWHILE, GRATEFUL TO LEARN WHETHER THERE ARE ANY HONG KONG FACTORS WHICH WE SHOULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHEN FRAMING QUESTION AND ANSWER AND ARRANGING TIMING OF LATTER.

STEWART

FILES

H.K. DEPT.

PROT. & CONFCE. DEPT.

F.E.D.

O.P.A.

MR. MORETON

COLONEL SIR J. HUGO

NNNNN

CONFIDENTIAL

LAST

R!

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