:
GR 285
IMMEDIATE
CYPHER CAT A
FM F C O 181743Z APR
CONFIDENTIAL
AKK 16411
EV NO.
1 9 APR 1978
DESK OFFICER,
INDEX
No
PA
AE-1 Action 1:
CONFIDENTIAL
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TELNO 313 OF 18 APRIL
See. Th
95
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR: SIR LAWRENCE KADOORIE
1. SIR LAWRENCE RANG AND WISHED ME TO RECORD THE GIST OF SERVERAL
CONVERSATIONS HE HAD WITH LORD RHODES ON THE FORTHCOMING PARLIAMEN- TARY DELEGATION TO CHINA. HE WAS EXTREMELY CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT HE SAID AND WISHED ME TO MAKE A NOTE OF IT, LEST HE WAS MISREPORTED. 2. LORD RHODES ASKED HIM WHAT WAS CHINA'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS HONG KONG. SIR LAWRENCE REPLIED THAT CHINA DID NOT RAISE THE QUESTION. HE THOUGHT THAT THEY SIMPLY WISHED THINGS TO CARRY ON QUIETLY WITH-
GUT POLITICAL DISCUSSION.
3. ON HONG KONG'S ATTITUDE TO CHINA HE THOUGHT IT WAS TO WAIT AND SEE. NOTHING SHOULD BE DONE NOW TO DISTURB RELATIONS.
4. ASKED WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR ON WHICH HONG KONG'S ACCEPTABILITY TO CHINA RESTED. HE SAID HE THOUGHT IT WAS THE NEUTRALITY OF HONG KONG. IT WAS A NEUTRAL POINT OF CONTACT WITH THE WEST. IT WAS CHINESE AND NOT CHINESE.
5. ASKED ABOUT HIS OWN POSITION. SIR LAWRENCE SAID HE DID NOT THINK HE COULD BE TOO CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION, AS HE HIMSELF WAS KNOW AS AN OLD CHINA HAND, AND HIS POSITION WAS SOMEWHAT SPECIAL. HE ADDED THAT HE HOPED THE DELEGATION WHEN IN HONG KONG WOULD LOOK FOR SOMETHING GOOD THERE AND NOT
CONCENTRATE EXCESSIVELY ON THE BAD POINTS.
6. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF BUYING COAL FROM CHINA SIR LAWRENCE REFERRED LORD RHODES TO LORD NELSON AND THE UK GOVERNMENT.
HE SAID HE WAS NOT IN A POSITION TO COMMENT.
7. HE SPOKE TO ME SHORTLY BEFORE HAVING TEA WITH THE PRIME
MINISTER.
ONEN
FILES
HKJGD
FED
LORD
PSI LORD GORONWY-
PS/PUS
ROBERTS
MR CORTAZZI
MRMURRAY
COPIES
то
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE
CONFIDENTIAL
LONDON