Joss (19)
216A
DWF TL 46/03
PEKING TL 865
HONG KONG KONG
FCO
GRS 160
CONFIDENTIAL
1848
MKK 040/1
20 SEPTE
TELELETTER
FROM SIR PERCY CRADOCK, PEKING
FILE REF NIL OF 2 SEPTEMBER 82
FOLLOWING FOR GOVERNOR, HONG KONG (PERSONAL)
COPIED TO A E DONALD, FCO
PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT: HONG KONG
a
Plus 2014
see (229A
1. AS YOU KNOW, THE PRIME MINISTER'S TIME HERE WILL BE SHORT AND HER PROGRAMME IS LIKELY TO BE FULL. THERE WILL BE LITTLE TIME TO DIGEST WHAT HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG BEFORE SHE LEAVES FOR SHANGHAI. PROBABLY NOT UNTIL THEY GET TO HONG KONG WILL THE DELEGATION BE ABLE TO DRAW A BREATHER AND DISCUSSTHE MATTER REASONABLY FULLY. THERE THEY WILL NATURALLY BE TAKING ACCOUNT OF THE HONG KONG REACTION TO WHATEVER NEWS THE PRIME MINISTER IS ABLE TO ANNOUNCE.
2. IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY USEFUL IF A MEMBER OF MY STAFF COULD JOIN THE DELEGATION IN HONG KONG TO CONTRIBUTE A PEKING PERSPECTIVE TO DISCUSSIONS THERE ABOUT THE FUTURE. HE COULD ALSO BRING BACK FOR US HERE SOME FIRST HAND KNOWLEDGE OF THE HONG KONG REACTION AND OF THE PRIME MINISTER'S ASSESSMENT OF THE OUTCOME OF HER VISIT TO CHINA AND HONG KONG. IF YOU HAVE NO OBJECTION, I WOULD PROPOSE TO SEND GALSWORTHY.
SIGNED SIR P CRADOCK
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