HKK
ا مادي
RECEIVED 26/
ཡ*༔
1 MAR 1978
DANK OFFICER
INDEX
1
PA
Action Tv en
Mr Hurray
Mr Hunter (PSD)
OFFICIAL VISIT TO HONG KONG
1.
No
In my mimate of 1 November 1977 I indicated that I would probably not now make my biannual visit to Hong Kong in the spring of 1978. However, two new factors have arisen which make a visit in April desirable.
2. Mir Michael Stewart, Special Economic Adviser to the Secretary of State, shares the department's concern at the rather bizarre budgetary proceedings in Hong Kong. He is asking the Secretary of State for permission to visit Hong Kong from about 12 April to look into their budgetary and economic affairs so as to better qualify him to advise the Secretary of State. It is desirable that I should be there with Mir Stewart in order to introduce him to Hong Kong and to act as a live brief during his visit, In November 1977 the Royal Hong Kong Police Force entered a state of what was effectively mutiny. Although verious measures have been taken by the Hong Kong Government to abate the possibility of a recurrence of this affair, Lord Goronwy-Roberts wants an independent assessment of the state of the Hong Kong Police Force and of the state of public opinion in Hong Kong on the Police. Over the period that I have been in charge of this department I have, I believe, built up a wide circle of acquaintances in Hong Kong which makes me the person best qualified to perform this survey. As I am leaving the department in the summer of this year it is unlikely that this particular expertise will be available to Ministers for another year or so.
8 and 150rdingly, 1 xpect that
Accordingly, I request permission to visit Hong Kong between 8 and 15 April. I expect that, as usual, I shall be asked to stay at Government House and, therefore, subsistence costs during my stay will be minimal.
24 February 1978
Mr M Stewart
JA B Stewart
Hong Kong & General Dept
Page 210Page 211