Нада
CODE 18-77
Reference.
18
Mr O'Keeffe
127/1
FABIAN PAMPHLET ON HONG KONG
1. I attach a copy of my submission of 23 January about the
Fabian Society's pamphlet on Hong Kong which was published over
the weekend. I also attach copies of the reports in "The Observer", "The Times" and "The Guardian" about the pamphlet.
2. Mr Larmour tells me that the PUS said to him that the short piece by the Hong Kong correspondent (?Mr Richard Hughes) of
The Times" was just the sort of thing which did the Hong Kong Government no good. On the contrary, the attitude attributed to the Hong Kong Government by "The Times" correspondent was more likely to provoke hostile criticism of conditions in Hong Kong. Mr Larmour suggested that we should convey the FUS's observation to the Governor together with a details at any enquiries News Department may receive about the Fabian Society pamphlet.
3. News Department have told us that there were no enquiries about the pamphlet at today's 12.30 briefing. In view of this, I have suggested to Mr Larmour that perhaps the most convenient way of passing on the PUS's observationsto Hong Kong would be to incorporate it in the letter which you are intending to draft about "Britain and Hong Kong". Mr Larmour thought that would be a suitable means of dealing with the point.
4.
You should also know that Mr Larmour had some doubts whether News Department should say that HMG sees no need for a Commission of Enquiry. He thought that it would be better for News Department to avoid being drawn into commenting on this particular recommen- dation in the Fabian Society pamphlet. I discussed this point with News Department and we agreed that if they were asked about the pamphlet they would say that we have seen it and are studying it, ie they would make no comment on any of the recommendations in the pamphlet. As things have turned out so far, it has not been necessary, as I have said above, for News Department to say anything.
5. Mr Larmour has also told me that Mr McNally has expressed the view that my recommendation that a Commission of Enquiry is unnecessary, is probably in line with the Secretary of State's thinking.
26 January 1976
A.f. Mitten
DF MILTON
Hong Kong and Indian Ocean
Department