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TO PRIORITY HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO. 539 OF 8 JULY
INFO PEKING.
FOR FORD FROM DUFFY, YOUR TEL 636 OF 8 JULY.
1. THE REPORT OF WHAT WAS SAID AT THE MEETING WITH THE KAI FONG DELEGATION IS INCORRECT. FOLLOWING IS RELEVANT EXTRACT FROM NOTE
OF THE MEETING:
BEGINS.
MR SO THEN REFERRED TO THEIR PETITION (JOINTLY WITH THE HONG KONG AND KOWLOON KAI FONG ASSOCIATION) ASKING THE QUEEN TO EXTEND THE GOVERNOR'S TERM OF OFFICE. HE URGED THAT THE GOVERNOR SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO STAY ON IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE GOOD WORK WHICH HE HAD INITIATED DURING HIS YEARS IN HONG KONG, HE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE GOVERNOR WAS REQUIRED TO LEAVE IN 1977 BECAUSE HE WOULD THEN BE 69 BUT HE HAD LEARNED THAT CIVIL SERVANTS IN ENGLAND COULD BE PERMITTED TO STAY UNTIL THEY WERE 65 AND THOUGHT THAT THE GOVERNOR THEREFORE COULD BE GIVEN ANOTHER TERM.
MR O'KEEFFE SAID THAT HMG HAD THE FULLEST CONFIDENCE IN THE GOVERNOR. THE PETITION HAD IN FACT BEEN PASSED TO THE QUEEN. IT WOULD BE IMPROPER TO SAY WHAT ADVICE THE SECRETARY OF STATE WOULD GIVE TO THE QUEEN IN DUE COURSE, BUT THE NORMAL RULE IN THE FCO WAS THAT OFFICERS MUST RETIRE AT THE AGE OF 66 AND IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO MAKE AN EXCEPTION TO THIS RULE. IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION, HE SAID THAT NO DECISION HAD YET BEEN TAKEN, ENDS.
2. O'KEEFFE HAS WRITTEN TO THE ACTING GOVERNOR ENCLOSING A FULL
REPORT OF THE MEETING,
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3. IN ANSWERING PRESS