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Mr Wilford
Covering TOP SECRET
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ECLIPSE
HONG KONG ANNUAL DESPATCH
1.
The despatch has now been submitted, read and commended
by the Secretary of State. The next steps are printing and
the preparation of a despatch in reply. Unless you have
different views, I will draft the latter on the lines of my
submission and of the comments already made on the despatch.
2. Sir D Watson and Sir E Norris endorsed your recommendation
that the despatch should be printed in its entirety and
classified SECRET ECLIPSE. But the Secretary of State still
has doubts about paragraph 20. I have discussed this with
Sir D Watson and agreed that the point in the despatch which
is particularly sensitive is the question of negotiations with
the Chinese and the timing thereof. This is the question which
the Secretary of State, on our previous papers, directed should
be treated with particular care. Paragraph 20 of the despatch
still makes good sense even if the question of negotiations is
removed. Sir D Watson has therefore agreed that, subject to
your views, we might reclassify the despatch SECRET - ECLIPSE
(thus taking care of the point about the sensitivity of
paragraphs 7 9) and might suggest to the Governor some
excisions for the printed version from his paragraph 20.
3. I submit two draft Personal telegrams to the Governor
suggesting the form which this might take.
p
23 February 1973
MW2/2
لد
Govering TOP SECRET
ACSL
A C Stuart
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Department
ECLIPSE