GR 210
PRIORITY
CYPHER CAT A
CONFIDENTAL
HKK 382/15
·PA-77
'No R$ 3" de
FM HONG KONG 290902Z
CONFIDENTIAL
TO PRIORITY F C O TELNO 1212 OF 29 NOVEMBER 1977.
И
See
MY TELNO 1200 OF 25 NOVEMBER AND TELECON ROBERTS/STEWART OF
26 NOVEMBER.
133
THE RUMOURS ABOUT HENRY'S DEPARTURE SEEM TO HAVE QUIETENED WITHIN THE FORCE, THOUGH THEY HAVE REACHED EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. I ASSURED MEMBERS OF COUNCIL THIS MORNING THAT THOUGH WE WISHED TO AVOID ANY PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE FACT, THAT IT WAS NOT (REPEAT NOT), WITH LORD CARVER'S AGREEMENT, NOW INTENDED TO RELEASE HENRY.
2. I FULLY APPRECIATE LORD CARVER'S DIFFICULTIES AND THEREFORE
PROPOSE TO ACT AS FOLLOWS:
31
A. TO SAY NO MORE ABOUT HENRY'S FUTURE FOR AS LONG AS WE REASONABLY
CAN:
B. IF QUESTIONED ABOUT IT, WITHIN THE NEXT SIX WEEKS, TO REPLY THAT THERE IS NO PROSPECT OF HENRY BEING REQUIRED IN THE NEAR FUTURE, BUT THAT IF HE IS NEEDED IN THE FUTURE THE REQUEST WILL BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES AT THAT TIME: C. TO ANNOUNCE ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF JANUARY THAT HENRY WILL NOT
BE GOING TO RHODESIA.
3. I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD CONFIRM THAT AN ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF JANUARY, ON THE LINES SUGGESTED IN PARAGRAPH 2(C) WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE.
ROBERTS
FILES
RHODESIA D
HROGD
OPA
NEWS D
PS
PS/MR ROWLANDS
Psjpus
MR GRAHAM
MRMANSFIELD MR WEIR
COPIES MR STREL
то
LEGAL ADVISERs
CONFIDENTAL