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representative, and therefore the official spokesman
of HMG, and also the head of the Hong Kong Government.
The conflict of interests, where it exists, bears
most hardly on him personally. As you say, he is
tackling this difficult job with skill, and we must
be careful in anything we do, not to undermine his
authority or restrict his freedom of manoeuvre.
5
For his part Aston is also, as you say, doing
a difficult job well. This is primarily to sell
British goods in Hong Kong. He is naturally aware,
as an experienced Diplomatic Service officer, of the
effect of the general Hong Kong atmosphere on his
work. He is also naturally worried as a senior
British Officer in Hong Kong with undivided loyalties,
about his inability to take direct action to improve
the general atmosphere.
6.
Where what is needed is an ordinary information
the projection of Britain, its people and its
we may perhaps be able to do something.
effort
industry
But at the root of the problem are specific issues
sterling, EEC preferences, the death penalty,
corruption and the like there there appears to be
G
a real conflict of interest between Hong Kong and the
UK.
We must at all costs avoid public dispute with
our own Government of Hong Kong.
7.
S
O
Part of the answer is good personal relations
between Senior Officials of the Hong Kong Government
and Aston and his staff and the relevant departments
at home. Within this framework of good relations,
which does exist, we aim to deal with the substance ·
of the questions of current importance. When a
/mutually