RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No.51 - 8 JUN 1972
LA
Kw
32
IMEDIATE
EN CLAIR
FM HONG KONG 078748Z
UNCLASSIFIED
HILK3/540/0
RIF.
3)
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 490 OF 7 JUNE INFO PEKING.
DESKBY 07/11282,
FOLLOWING FROM WEAIT NEWS DEPARTMENT.
FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF OPENING STATEMENT TO BE DELIVERED BY
MR ROYLE AT PRESS CONFERENCE TO BE HELD AT AIRPORT IMMEDIATELY
BEFORE DEPARTURE.
FIRST : SHOULD LIKE TO SAY WHAT A GREAT PLEASURE IT IS FOR ME
TO BE BACK IN HONG KONG, ALTHOUGH MY STAY THIS TIME IS UNFOR-
TUNATELY VERY SHORT.
I KNOW FROM READING YOUR NEWSPAPERS THAT THERE MAY WELL BE
SEVERAL ISSUES IN INTERNAL HONG KONG AFFAIRS ON WHICH YOU WOULD
LIKE TO QUESTION KE. IN NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES I SHOULD NATURALLY
BE HAPPY TO ANSWER SUCH QUESTIONS. BUT AT THIS CONFERENCE
I SHOULD MUCH PREFER TO CONCENTRATE ON MY VISIT TO PEKING. THIS IS
BECAUSE I DO NOT PROPOSE TO HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE IN LONDON
ON MY RETURN AND THIS WILL THEREFORE BE THE MAIN OPPORTUNITY
FOR THE INTERNATIONAL AND HONG KONG PRESS TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
I HOPE VERY MUCH TO RETURN TO HONG KONG LATER IN THE YEAR FOR A LONGER STAY, THEN WILL BE A MUCH MORE APPROPRIATE TIME TO DISCUSS INTERNAL MATTERS WITH YOU.
INEVITABLY YOU WILL DE WONDERING WHETHER HONG KONG CAME UP
IN MY TALKS IN PEKING, PERHAPS I MAY ANTICIPATE YOUR QUESTIONS
BY SAYING THAT THE STATUS OF HONG KONG WAS NOT DISCUSSED AT THE
TALKS.
/THE
11