CYPHER CAT A
CONFIDENTIAL
IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELEGRAM NUMBER 144
CONFIDENTIAL.
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR.
YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER 159.
TO HONG KONG
12 MARCH 1970
(HKK 1/20)
WE AGREE WITH PRESENTATION OF NORMAN-WALKER'S VISIT ALONG LINES
OF FIRST AND THIRD SENTENCES IN YOUR PARAGRAPH 2. WE WOULD PREFER YOU NOT TO REFER TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT IN VIEW OF HIS RESTRICTED PROGRAMME, WHICH DOES NOT ON THE FACE OF IT JUSTIFY A SPECIAL VISIT HERE FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRIOR CONSULTATION: IF QUESTIONED ON THIS POINT, IT COULD BE SAID THAT THE COLONIAL SECRETARY WOULD OF COURSE BE AVAILABLE FOR ANY CONSULTATIONS THAT
MAY BE NECESSARY IN THIS CONNECTION.
2. AS DENSON WILL LEAVE ON SATURDAY 28 MARCH OVERLAP WILL BE
HARDLY SIGNIFICANT. BUT WE FEEL SOME CONCERN THAT PROPOSED TIMING (24 MARCH) OF YOUR ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT NORMAN-WALKER MAY GIVE RISE TO SPECULATION THAT HIS VISIT ARISES FROM DISCUSSIONS WITH DENSON
WHO WILL ALREADY HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A WEEK. WE WONDER WHETHER IT
WOULD BE PREFERABLE TO MAKE ANNOUNCEMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND IN
ANY CASE BEFORE DENSON PASSES THROUGH HONG KONG ON SUNDAY 15 MARCH.
IT IS REALISED THAT EARLIER ANNOUNCEMENT, FOLLOWED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY BY DENSON'S TRANSIT THROUGH HONG KONG, MAY GIVE PUBLIC IMPRESSION THAT BOTH WILL BE IN UK TOGETHER AND MAY THEREFORE
INCREASE ANY TENDENCY ON PART OF PUBLIC TO LINK VISITS TO MAJOR POLICY TALKS. HOWEVER, WE THINK THAT THIS WOULD BE PREFERABLE TO SPECULATION THAT NORMAN-WALKER'S VISIT RESULTS DIRECTLY FROM DENSON'S
DISCUSSIONS. GRATEFUL TO KNOW YOUR DECISION.
3. PLEASE ENSURE THAT DENSON, WHO IS NOT AWARE OF COLONIAL SECRETARY'S VISIT, IS TOLD ABOUT IT ON HIS WAY THROUGH HONG KONG,
STEWART
1
FILES
LAST
H.K. DEPT.
REF.
F.E.D.
SIR L. MONSON
REF.
MR. WILFORD
P.S. TO S/s.
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CONFIDENTIAL