PRIORITY
CONFIDENTIAL
CYPHER CAT/A
GRPS 220
Go
FM HONG KONG 030345Z
CONFIDENTIAL
TO PRIORITY F C O TELNO 555 OF 3 JUNE
FOR H K I OD FROM FORD.
R
3 0979
Ler
RS
NEW
REF.
NKK 013/540/1
{
YOUR TELNO 418 OF 2 JUNE: COLONIAL SECRETARY'S VISIT.
(5)
54
THE VISITS OF THE COLONIAL SECRETARY AND THE GOVERNOR WITHIN A MONTH ARE LIKELY TO GIVE RISE TO MOUNTING SPECULATION THAT SOMETHING NEW AND UNUSUALLY IMPORTANT IS BEING DISCUSSED.
2. ! AM ANXIOUS THAT THIS SHOULD BE AVOIDED AND BELIEVE THAT THE FORMULA PROPOSED IN MY TELEGRAM NO 551 OF 1 JUNE WILL ACHIEVE THIS OBJECTIVE BETTER.
3. IF WE MAKE THE BRIEF ANNOUNCEMENT WITHOUT ANY UNATTRIBUTABLE GUIDANCE, THIS WILL CERTAINLY GIVE RISE TO CONSIDERABLE SPECULATION
1 AND WE SHALL BE UNDER STRONG PRESSURE TO GIVE FURTHER DETAILS, FEAR THAT THIS WILL BE DIFFICULT TO RESIST AND THAT SOME ELABORATION WILL BE FORCED OUT OF US IN CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH WILL CAUSE MUCH MORE EMBARRASSMENT THAN WHAT IS PROPOSED.
4. BY COINCIDENCE THERE HAS BEEN MUCH SPECULATION IN LOCAL PRESS THIS WEEK ABOUT APPOINTMENTS TO LEGCO. THE PRESS WILL ASSUME THAT THE COLONIAL SECRETARY IS GOING TO DISCUSS THE LEGAL ASPECTS
OF THIS MATTER.
5. THE REFERENCES TO DEFENCE COSTS IS NECESSARY TO EXPLAIN THE VISIT OF THE DEPUTY FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO LONDON IF THIS IS NOTICED. IT WILL NOT RAISE DOUBTS IN ANYONE'S MIND HERE ABOUT THE AGREEMENT ITSELF, AND IT WILL BE ASSUMED RATHER THAT MONITORING OF IMPLEMENTATION BY BOTH GOVERNMENTS IS A CONTINUING PROCESS.
MACLEHOSE
FILE S
IKIOD (4)
MR LARMOUR
FED
MR CORTAZZI
NEWS D
MR MALE
PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
PS/PUS
CONFIDENTIAL
COPIES TO:
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE
LONDON