Final version

RECORD OF CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY

OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS AND LORD KENNET

AND MR NIGEL SPEARING MP;

11.00 a.m. 27 NOVEMBER 1973

PRESENT

MR A ROYLE MP

MR A C STUART

LORD KENNET

MR NIGEL SPEARING MP

MR H L DAVIES

MR MR J GUEST

ISO

KOWLOON WALLED CITY

1. Lord Kennet said that he had visited the Walled City on hi S

way through Hong Kong before the visit of the Parliamentary

Delegation to China from 1-17 November. He could not believe his

eyes, so he had asked two of his colleagues to accompany him on

second visit. He had discussed the matter with the Governor, ard

fully understood the reasons for the decision, which had recently

been reaffirmed, not to do anything drastic about the valled Gig

but to continue to nibble away at the problem and to gradually

open up lines of communication with the Chinese perhaps in about

two years.

Lord Kennet repeated that he understood the decision

but felt that this was too long a time-scale.

2. Mr Royle said that the danger of raising it now with the

Chinese was that they would inevitably link it with the

Representative issue. Nevertheless he would be interested to know

what aspect Lord Kennet felt we should discuss with the Chincse.

Lord Kennet said that all aspects needed to be looked at. All it

problems arose from that of density. The Walled City consisted of

6 acres occupied by some 40 to 45 thousand people, that is, an

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