PERSONAL & CONFIDENTIAL
(32)
23 September, 1983
CM31/19 m
X30NI
WE SEE
2861 392
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MKK040 13
This letter concerns a telephone conversation I had yesterday and a meeting I have had today with Robert Adley, MP. As you may know, he has, in the last week or so, made a television appearance (Channel 4) on 20 September and given
a radio interview (LBC) on 22 September, in which he talked
in extreme terms about the future of liong Kong and, in particular, was very critical of the attitudes of Hong Kong people.
2.
You will have scen my earlier comments on Robert Adley and know that he has very close contacts with the Chinese: he has a personal interest in being friendly with the Chinese in that he visits China (going via Hong Kong) three or four times a year because of his business interests he is a director of Holiday Inns. His special interest in China at the moment, however, is that he is a railway steam engine buff and the Chinese ere assiting him to write a book on steam engines of Chine. He is Chairman of the Anglo/China Group and, therefore, (no doubt to the Chinese and, unfortunately, also to many people in Hong Kong) he would appear to be a man of influence in the flouse of Commons, if not in the Government. In practice, as you will know, he is not at all well regarded by his fellow MPa and people like Sir Paul Bryan, Sir Peter Jiaker, Hal Hilier, Roger Sims (and many others we know well), would say that he is a self-seeker, always on the look-out for personal publicity and especially a friend of China, from whom he expects to gain at least in "face" if not in other ways.
A.K. Mason, Esq., OBE,
Secretary (General Duties), Government Secretariat, Lower Albert Road,
Hong Kong.
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