GPS 160
IMMEDIATE
CYPHER/CAT A
FM HONG KONG 100958Z
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No.51
14 AUG 1973
PA
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO BTC 96 OF 10 AUGUST. 1973
FOR STUART (HKIOD) FROM ASTON
STERLING
ܝ ، ܢܵ
LEF
2
13
IT IS ALREADY CLEAR FROM EDITORIAL COMMENT ON HADDON-CAVE VISIT AND REMARKS MADE TO ME BY BANKERS, JOURNALISTS AND COMMERCIALS THAT UNLESS HONG KONG IS SUBSTANTIALLY UNSHACKLED FROM STERLING
AS RESULT OF PRESENT TALKS THERE WILL BE SOME SHARP, PERHAPS BITTER,
CRITISM OF BRITAIN.
THIS WILL OF COURSE BE HEIGHTENED IF THERE IS A FURTHER RUN ON
STERLING,
CONVERSELY THERE IS RENEWED UNCERTAINTY - OR SCEPTICISM ABOUT
STERLING AMONG LOCAL BRITISH BUSINESS COMMUNITY PARTLY BECAUSE
OF HADDON-CAVE VISIT AND PARTLY BECAUSE ONE OR TWO OF THEM HAVE
TODAY BEEN ADVISED BY THEIR LONDON OFFICES NOT TO QUOTE IN STERLING.
NOT SURPRISINGLY WE ARE BEING ASKED QUESTIONS ON THIS BY
BRITISH BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVES IN PARTICULAR AND WILL BE EXPECTED
TO HAVE A LINE AT LEAST IMMEDIATELY AFTER PRESENT TALKS,
GRATEFUL THEREFORE FOR FULLEST POSSIBLE GUIDANCE EITHER FOR
USE OR PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL BACKGROUND.
ASTON
FILES
FRD
HKI OD
MR WRIGHT MR WHITEHEAD SIR E NORRIS SIR D WATSON MR LARMOUR
CONFIDENTIAL
COPIES TO
MR W ST CLAIR, TREASURY