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1.
HKIOD's recommendation that Lord Goronwy-Roberts might himself reply direct to Mr Bernacchi reflected the fact that Lord Goronwy-Roberts had met Mr Bernacchi during his recent visit to Hong Kong and that Mr Bernacchi's letter of 16 January referred to this meeting and was couched in informal and personal terms. these circumstances, Lord Goronwy-Roberts felt that, as a matter of courtesy, he would like to send a full and reasoned reply, to be transmitted via the Governor who would naturally be consulted over the form which the reply would take. In making this recommendation we had in mind not only Lord Goronwy-Roberts's own wishes, but also the fact that it would seem provocative to tell Mr Bernacchi, in effect, that he should send what he might choose to regard as a personal letter to Lord Goronwy-Roberts via the Governor.
5.
Given that the main purpose of Mr Bernacchi's letter is to seek our comments on the Reform Club memorandum which is now not a personal matter but a public issue, I support the Governor's judgment that normal practice should be adhered to in the present case. Apart from the possible embarrassment to the Governor if it appeared that he had been by-passed, a direct reply would be a dangerous precedent, exposing Ministers to other direct approaches in the future. I agree with the Governor that it would be sufficient for Lord Goronwy-Roberts, as a matter of courtesy, to send
Mr Bernacchi a separate personal letter, which need not contain any substantive comment on the Reform Club's memorandum.
6.
I recommend that the Reform Club's representations should be treated in the matter proposed by the Governor. I accordingly attach two draft letters, which follow the texts contained in the Governor's telegrams under reference. If Lord Goronwy-Roberts agrees to this course of action, I would myself write to the Governor enclosing a copy of Lord Goronwy-Roberts's personal letter to Mr Bernacchi and instructing him to convey the formal reply. (I myself have some reservations about the political wisdom of replying in terms quite as formal as the Governor has suggested;
and
I have therefore incorporated certain amendments designed to lighten the tone a little.)
17.