Mr
1.
CONFIDENTIAL
Croydon Ways. h1%3
Reference
with (18)
The situation described in the attached papers could not have arisen at a more awkward time so far as we are concerned. We shall of course have to fight for something for Hong Kong but it will not now, unfortunately, be simply a question of extracting reluctant acquiescence from the ODA. We shall have to convince the Treasury as well (and we may not have much support either in the FCO itself or in other departments).
2.
We had better have a word about the reply to Mr Logan's minute of 7 March. Could you and Mr Clewley come in at some convenient time with the previous papers.
8 March 1972
E O Laird
Hong Kong Department
DD 896639 140609 500M 7/71 GM 3643/2
CONFIDENTIAL
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