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CONFIDENTIAL
TO F.C.O. LONDON
IMMEDIATE GOVERNOR HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NO BTC 84
CONFIDENTIAL 318300Z
DATED 31 OCTOBER 1972
(62
FOR LAIRD FROM BLACKWELL B.T.C. HONG KONG.
ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY HAS-NO OBJECTION TO MY BEING PRESENT
AT CBF'S BRIEFING AND IN FACT THINKS IT WOULD BE USEFUL.
1 SHALL OF COURSE ONLY BE PRESENT AS OBSERVER AND IF QUESTIONED
ANSWER ON LINES OF YOUR PARA. 2.
I SHOULD, HOWEVER, STILL BE GRATEFUL FOR INFORMATION REQUESTED
IF THIS IS EASILY AVAILABLE BOTH FOR MY OWN BACKGROUND INFORMATION
FOR FUTURE USE AND AT HIS OWN REQUEST FOR CBF. IT WOULD ONLY
BE USED BY LATTER IF DEFENCE COST QUESTION WERE RAISED.
INCIDENTALLY I HAD ALWAYS UNDERSTOOD THAT FROM PR POINT OF
VIEW THIS QUESTION WAS VERY MUCH A MATTER OF MY CONCERN HENCE
MY INTEREST IN IT. ONCE THE NEWS BREAKS IT IS OFTEN TOO LATE FOR US TO MUCH ABOUT IT. HOWEVER, I TAKE YOUR POINT THAT PRESENT
MOMENT IS INOPPORTUNE. I AM ONLY CONCERNED TO PREPARE GROUND
WHERE THIS IS POSSIBLE.
SIR H.NORMAN-WALKER
FILES
HONG KONG DEPT.
FAR FAST.DEPT.
DEFENCE DEPT. SIR L. MONSON MR. WILFORD'
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION
U.N.D. 4 :*
COPIES TO: .FI. AIR,
MOD.
CONFIDENTIAL
M. 51
HKILIO/G
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