CONFIDENTIAL
2
4. There is however one point in your letter on which I feel I ought to comment and that is where you suggest that "a certain change of attitude, from that of pressing U.K. interests to that of pressing territorial interests if necessary on the U.K." is required of officers in the newly merged Office. I heard similar arguments from many people in Hong Kong during my visit there. Even though the argument was put in the most flattering way to myself personally - until I almost felt I was the last of the Mohicans in person I do sincerely feel, on the basis of a quarter of a century in the old Colonial Office and six years in the Diplomatic Service, that this judgment is less than fair to my colleagues in the latter service or the care which those responsible for these postings devote to seeing that the man is fitted to the job. I may add, not altogether seriously, that the argument hardly chimes in with the olc-time Whitchall complaint that the Foreign Office were the spokesmen for the foreigner and not for H.F.G! But besically the flaw in both arguments is that they ignore how much the training of the diplomat and the instinct that comes with training is directed towards the settlement of differences by conciliation. There is no reason to suppose that those qualities would not be displayed as between the U.K. and a dependent territory in much the same way as in the wider international field. It may also not be appreciated how much the modern "generalist" diplomat does become involved in administration questions akin to the old Colonial Office type. A substantial number by now have served in countries where there is a substantial British aid contribution and have been concerned with the drawing up of aid programmes and their execution. calls for the fairly rapid development of "knowledge of the ways of thought of the Governments and inhabitants of territor- les", not all that different from those still dependent.
5.
That
However none of this is an argument against the posting of Diplomatic Service Officers to Hong Kong. It may even be an argument in favour of it if it lets the people of Hong Kong gain an informed knowledge of their "generalist" qualities.
CONFIDENTIAL
(L. Monson)