EN CLAIR
FM HONG KONG
UNCLASSIFIED
TO ROUTINE FCO TELNO BIS 4 OF 15 FEBRUARY
BIS4/72 CONFERENCE ONE STOP PARA BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY
SIR ALEC DOUGLASHOME GAVE HIS VIEWS ON WIDE
RANGE OF SUBJECTS AT PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY BEFORE
LEAVING HONGKONG STOP PARA HE SPOKE ON BENEFITS OF GOOD RELATIONS
BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA AND
DISCUSSIONS NOW BEING HELD ON
EXCHANGE AMBASSADORS BETWEEN TWO COUNTRIES STOP PARA
SIR ALEC DESCRIBED SITUTATION IN NORTHERN IRELAND
AS CONFLICT BETWEEN TWO RELIGIONS COMMUNITIES AND REAFFIRMED
THAT NORTHERN IRELAND WAS BRITAINS
RESPONSIBILITY AND NOT UNITED NATIONS WHEN ASKED
WHETHER HE THOUGHUT BRITISH TROOPS SHOULD BE I
WITHDRAWN AND UNITED NATIONS TROOPS SENT THERE
INSTEAD STOP
PARA ON RESUMPTION OF NORMAL TRADE RELATIONS WITH
BENGLADESH HE SAID BRITAIN WOULD DO SO SOONAS IT
COULD BE REESTABLISHED STOP PARA SIR ALEC
ALSO GAVE HIS VIEWS ON RUSSIAN NAVAL BUILDUP IN
INDIAN OCEAN RUSSIAN ESPIONAGE UNDER DIPLOMATIC COVER AND
REWARDS HONGKONG WILL GET WHEN BRITAIN BECOMES
AYE FULL
/MEMBER OF
72