Mr Stewart (HKGD)
CONFIDENTIAL
HKK 382/15
8 NOV 1977
FICEA
No
PA
Actie. T
Hong Kong Police: Rhodesia
The Secretary of State has noted from a recent minute by Lord Goronwy-Roberts that, during your recent visit to Hong Kong, you conveyed to the Governor and to the Commissioner of Police deep concern that a Member of Parliament (Mr Robert Parry) should have been insulted in a Hong Kong restaurant by some off-duty police officers. I understand that the officers concerned have been severely reprimanded and that it has been made plain to members of the Hong Kong force that such behaviour will not be tolerated in future.
The Secretary of State believes that this incident, which may revive questions about the integrity of the police in Hong Kong, could have awkward repercussions for Lord Carver in Rhodesia since the wisdom of appointing Mr Henry of the Hong Kong force as Rhodesian Police Commissioner in the transitional period may well be called into question.
The Secretary of State would be grateful for an assess- ment of the likely repercussions of the incident involving Mr Parry for Lord Carver's intended use of Mr Henry in Rhodesia. I should be grateful if, in conjunction with Rhodesia Department, you could let me have such an assessment.
J. Swall
2 November 1977
CC:
PS/Lord Goronwy-Roberts PS/Mr Rowlands
PS/PUS
Mr Graham
Mr Mansfield
→
Mr Murray
Mr Laver
(Rhodesia Dept)
CONFIDENTIAL
(J. S. Wall)