PERSONAL
Foreign and Commonwealth Office London SW1
Telephone 01-
J Cater Esq CBE
Independent Commission Against Corruption
HONG KONG
Your reference
Our reference
Date
14 February 1974
Des Jack,
MR ALAN ELLIS
1.
LAST
REF.
NEXT
REF.
43 88
You will by now have had my letter of 6 February which was sent off before our telephone conversation.
2.
Mr Blaker has now decided that he will not reply substantively to Mr Royle (as Ellis's MP) until after the elections. We therefore have a breathing space in which to sort out both what to say to Ellis and the situation in Hong Kong. I enclose a copy of the draft letter which, subject to your comments and all other things being equal, we would propose that Mr Blaker should send after the elections. I have amended it to take account of the fact that, by that time, your Commission will be in operation. I have tried to draft the letter so that it is compatible with Mr Royle's promise to Mr Ellis and at the same time with your position, as you described it to me on the telephone, that you could not take action, even on the corruption aspects of Ellis's case, without fresh material. If you would like this point to be brought out even more clearly (again without contradicting what Mr Royle has already said), no doubt you will let me know? You may also think that it would be prudent, before Mr Blaker commits himself on what you are prepared to do, to clear your own lines with the Governor; but of course this is for you to decide.
3.
It would be helpful if, before 28 February, you could let me know by telegram whether you have any comments; so that Mr Blaker, or his successor, could reply to Ellis soon after the elections and we could thereafter deal with the case on the open net through the Governor.
PERSONAL
Yours ever Andras
A C Stuart
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Dept.
ndid Bu
1 March
вык
19/2
}