\RGIN
Registry No.
Demi Official letter
НКК 18/12
DRAFT
Type 1 +
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
To:-
Top Secret.
Secret.
Confidential.
Restricted.
Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
In Confidence
P. H. Johnston Esq., Ministry of Overseas Development,
Eland House.
London S.W.1.
You
From
A Mc Carter
Gaminama
Telephone No. & Ext.
Department
یکھا
Please To fans for segun
Oplze
Am
22711
Local Government Hong Kong.
Thank you for your letter LG 68/14 of
the 15 November on the above subject.g.
This is the first intimation that we in
the department have received that any such
report as this was in the offing. Our
knowledge of the matter was confined to the
(for other
reasons
them yours)
Comi
J
The
re
pri
aa
on
K
situation as described in the first
four
paragraphs of the report.
[Take i
shup not as yet sought Although Hong Kong have not as yet sought
our views on the report, they will no doubt do
so in que course, and I should prefer to
reserve any comment that we may have until
that stage is reached.
However, the main
factors governing our examination of any
proposals for re-organising Local Government
in Hong Kong are likely to be: -
(1) The probable reaction of the Chinese
People's Government. It can safely be
predicted that Peking would react very sharply
indeed to any scheme which gave the slightest
indication or impression, true or false, of any
move in the direction of self-Government for
Hong Kong. The extent of their sensitivity
on this issue is illustrated by the fact that
they are quick to criticise even the use of
the word "country", in relation to the Colony.
However desirable in principle or otherwise
any development on these lines may be, it is
therefore just not "on", so far as Hong Kong /is oncerned.
Page 135Page 136