3
MX мукам
Sir Monson
SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO HONG KONG
RECEIVED
REGISTRY No.511
-1 FEL 19/2
MKK22/5
503
1. I was holding the draft speech (attached to this submission) because so much depended upon the outcome of our efforts to resolve the cotton textiles problem. However, when I received Mr Graham's minute of 27 January (copy attached) I decided to send the submission forward.
2.
Mr Wilford asked me to look at his proposed amendments.
I have the following comments on them:-
(a) Paragraph 1. The Private Office have now told
us that the Secretary of State visited Hong Kong when the Conservative Party were in opposition. The words "for the first time" will therefore have to be replaced by "again".
(b)
There in force
in a Whitchath
argument
Paragraph 2.
I mentioned to Mr Wilford that in my view we should try to get away from the position that Hong Kong Department alone of all the departments in the FCO has special responsibilities towards the Colony, and that
Content bur Hong Kong open the FCO alone (and not the DTI for instance) may feel that What is everyone's have such responsibilities. I think it is responsality is no one's: They HMG as a whole have responsibilities to Hong attach importance to the idea of having a "Protector at Cac) amendment in fuit M' Wilford's amendmat night for the andmer LAND
important that it should be recognised that
Ihave allied he hutace
дный стих
3.
Kong.
Paragraph 5. I suggest that the point about be
I prepar "the widespread web of British diplomacy" might be made in the following way - "and British M' Wilford's representatives abroad will of course continue working w to do everything they can to further your interests"
Mr Wilford's additional piece is intended to go in after the asterisk in paragraph 14.
4. As the Private Office want the draft speech by noon on Monday 31 January and as you may not have time to deal with these papers today, I am sending a copy of the draft direct to Mr Logan in case Mr Royle wishes to look at it over the weekend.
wom
28 January 1972
EO Laird
Hong Kong Department
a
р