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RECORD OF LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS' MEETING WITH MR SINCLAIR OF THE "SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST" ON 10 DECEMBER
Present:
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No. 51
Lord Goronwy-Roberts
Mr Sinclair
29 DEC 1975
Mr Galsworthy
1.
Mr Milton
The following points of interest arose during the meeting.
Hong Kong Defence Costs Negotiations
2. Lord Goronwy-Roberts said that it was expected that the detailed agreement would be announced before the end of the year. He could not give any details - he spoke in terms of the brief.
Governor's Term of Office
3.
Mr Sinclair said that the present Governor's term of office had less than a year to run and asked whether any consideration was being given to the choice of a successor to Sir Murray MacLehose. Lord Goronwy-Roberts said that the question had not yet come up for official consideration. He remarked that Sir Murray was an "outstanding Governor" and he hoped he would be able to carry on for a long time to come. He would not wish to say anything which might shorten his stay as Governor.
Constitutional Development
4.
Lord Goronwy-Roberts said that the people of Hong Kong understood the special constraints under which Hong Kong was placed. The Governor was looking for opportunities to introduce new blood into the Legislative Council, representing different sections of the Community. He was pleased, as was HMG, with the success of the Mutual Aid Committees. They represented a form of "grass roots democracy" which was not always to be found in traditional democratic systems. There was an increase in "participative democracy" and, of course, Hong Kong boasted a free press and a free broadcasting system. Agreeing, Mr Sinclair observed that Japan and Hong Kong were probably the only two countries in the whole of Asia where there were no restrictions on the freedom of the press. Lord Goronwy-Roberts noted Mr Sinclair's observation and said that it was one that he would like to use himself.
Urban Council
5. Lord Goronwy-Roberts said that useful discussions had been held about the possible expansion of the functions of the Urban Council in Hong Kong. If a substantial consensus were to develop in favour of such an expansion, HMG would not resist it. Those concerned were well aware of the need not to go too far too
quickly.
Hong Kong was not Cheshire.
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