CONFIDENTIAL HKK
HKK 02012
8707 2
GRS 300
CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COM
(43)
DESKBY 050 100Z
FROM FCO 04134OZ JUN 82
il
flos isto
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG (PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM CLIFT)
TELEGRAM NUMBER 419 OF 4 JUNE
FCO TEL NO 413: UNOFFICIALS SUPPORT FOR FALKLANDS
1. COULD I ADD A GLOSS ON THE LINE IN CASE OF A LEAK.
SINCE WE HAVE NOT PUT THIS ISSUE TO MINISTERS YET (PARA 2
39
OF FCO TEL NO 384) WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD AVOID A DIRECT STATEMENT THAT ANY OFFER FROM HONG KONG HAD BEEN
DECLINED.
See (50
27
2. IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WE SUGGEST
THAT YOU SAY THAT IF PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A
GESTURE THIS WOULD BE WARMLY APPRECIATED. AT PRESENT THERE
ARE A NUMBER OF FUNDS FOR SERVICEMEN AND THEIR DEPENDENTS TO
WHICH INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS MIGHT LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE.
HOWEVER, IT MAY BE THAT PROJECTS WILL EMERGE, E.G. FOR FALKLAND ISLANDS REHABILITATION, WHICH PEOPLE MIGHT ALSO LIKE TO CONSIDER.
3. I REALISE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE PREFERRED A MORE DEFINITE
LINE ON THE OFFER OF POUNDS 20 MILLION FROM GOVERNMENT FUNDS.
I AM SORRY THAT WE CANNOT GIVE THIS YET. YOU WILL APPRECIATE
THAT PUBLICITY FOR A STATEMENT THAT SUCH A PROPOSAL HAD BEEN TURNED DOWN COULD BE DIFFICULT HERE.
4. AT THE SAME TIME WE UNDERSTAND WHY YOU YOURSELF
SEE DIFFICULTIES IN A GRANT FROM GOVERNMENT FUNDS. IF IN ADDITION UNOFFICIALS ARE HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS DO YOU SEE ADVANTAGE IN ENCOURAGING THEM TO CONVERT THEIR PROPOSAL INTO A VOLUNTARY COLLECTIVE FUND TO WHICH HONG KONG PEOPLE COULD SUBSCRIBE QUERY. IF THIS IS DONE, HOWEVER,
WE SHOULD PREFER A MAJOR FUND NOT TO BE TIED SPECIFICALLY TO ANY ONE CAUSE (YOU WILL REMEMBER THE PROBLEMS RAISED BY THE MAMMOTH DONATIONS TO THE PENLEE LIFEBOAT FUND.) WE SHALL LET YOU KNOW AS SOON AS THE DECISIONS ARE TAKEN ON PROJECTS
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CONFIDENTIAL
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