CR 350
IMMEDIATE
CYPHER/CAT A
REGISTRY No.52 112 FEB1975
RECEIVED IN
LOP COPY
Leb
FM HONG KONG 120305Z
REF.
(93)
52
CONFIDENTIAL
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 146 OF 12 FEBRUARY.
YOUR TELNO. 103: PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION:
CORRUPTION.
1. WE PROPOSE A DIRECT ANSWER FIRST TO THE QUESTION OF A COMMISSION
APPOINTED BY HMG AND SUGGEST THAT THE REPLY SHOULD THEN PROCEED IN A WAY WHICH EMBRACES THE PROPOSED REPLY TO YOUR CONTEMPLATED SUPPLEMENTARY (A). WE RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING ANSWER TO THE QUESTION:
''NO. THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION SET UP BY
THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN IN OPERATION FOR JUST OVER A YEAR NOW, AND
HAS ALREADY ACHIEVED DISTINCT SUCCESS. IT HAS RECEIVED A LARGE MMEASURE OF SUPPORT FROM THE HONG KONG PUBLIC AND MUST BE GIVEN
A PROPER OPPORTUNITY TO FULFIL ITS TASK. THE COMMISSION HAS OUR
STRONG SUPPORT AND DURING HIS RECENT VISIT TO HONG KONG THE
MINISTER SAW FOR HIMSELF THE COMMISSION'S DETERMINATION TO PURSUE
ITS WORK."
2. NATURALLY, THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION TREATS ALL INFORMATION
WHICH IT RECEIVES FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN THE STRICTEST
CONFIDENCE, BUT THE STATEMENT IN YOUR DRAFT REPLY THAT THE
COMMISSION WELCOMES EVIDENCE SUBMITTED IN CAMERA IS NOT APPROPRIATE.
3. SUPPLEMENTARY (B). BLAIR-KERR DID NOT RECOMMEND THE ESTABLISH-
MENT OF A SEPARATE ORGANISATION TO INVESTIGATE COMPLAINTS OF
CORRUPTION, WE SUGGEST THAT ''ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF BE REPLACED
BY FOLLOWING THE JUDICIAL ENQUIRY CONDUCTED BY''.
:
4. SUPPLEMENTARY (D). WE AGREE THAT THE REPLY SHOULD BE AS IN
PARAGRAPH 4 OF OUR TELNO. 58 AND WILL SEND THE FIGURES FOR WHICH
YOU ASK ON FRIDAY.
}
/5. SUPPLEMENTARY (F).
CONFIDENTIAL