time, I am doubtful whether we should pursue it in correspondence with Mr Donald.
It is true that he is the one best placed
Chara to assess the local communist attitude to increases in public expenditure but I think we would also need a view from HM Embassy Peking before any considered conclusion coold be drawn. In fact, since the point is one which has a bearing on the Planning Paper I think it would be better to pursue it, if necessary, once
once we have the Governor's detailed views on the contents of the Paper. The position may be clearer after Mr Cortazzi's current visit to Hong Kong but I expect that it will not be until after the Governor's visit in July that we will be in a position to iron out any uncertain points, such as the one which Mr Donald has questioned.
2. More generally, I am not sure whether Mr Lipsey would wish us to use the record he made of what was presumably a fairly informal meeting with Mr Donald as a basis for further action. I therefore suggest that we let the matter rest, at least pending the Governor's visit.
20 May 1976
Mr Mellan Dun
Mr Sangren &/w
Z.F. Milki
D F MILTON
Hong Kong and Indian
Ocean Department
Tampere with her, heller. We shall catkinly weed to ask this question in due course:
but not now.
Ans