Dd. 32855 Ed (4200)
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Hong Kong taxpayer would have been glad to see
there in the interests of the Colony and its
economy. We even at present seem to be on the
point of admitting foreign airlines to the
Airport whose access to Hong Kong is in the
wider interest neither of the Colony nor of
our administration there. All this we have
done in the interests of our own airlines. But
in doing so we are sailing desperately near
the wind in regard to our obligations under the
recognise as paramount U.N. charter to give priority to the interests
of the peoples of our dependent territories of
which, of course, Hong Kong is by far the
largest still remaining. A loan from U.K.
funds to finance the expansion of the airport
would go some way at least to make our
position more respectable and help us to retain
it in the future. Otherwise I doubt very
much whether we ought to attempt to continue to
sustain it.
7.
Y
If it were thought necessary to attach
to any loan the conditions that it be spent
on U.K. goods and services and that in
consequence Hong Kong should not in this
instance follow its normal practice of going
to international tender, I would be ready to
accept this. Even if Hong Kong refused a
loan on these terms our moral and political
position would be improved. If they accepted,
we should have combined good business with
good morality, which is surely the best
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/position