CONFIDENTIAL
MEETING BETWEEN SECRETARY OF STATE AND MR ROBERT ADLEY MP,
30 NOVEMBER 1983
Present
The Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey Howe QC MP
Mr R D Clift
Mr Robert Adley MP
Attitude of Hong Kong Government to Mr Adley
a
1. Mr Adley said that he was concerned about the attitude of a
number of people in the Hong Kong Government. He had never been
received anywhere, let alone in a British colony, in so hostile a
way. On the earlier attempt to "blacken his character" he had shown
Mr Luce the letter which he had received from Miss Jill Hartley, former lobby correspondent. The Secretary of State said that he had
raised the matter with the Governor who had investigated it
carefully. But he understood that the letter from Miss Hartley had
not identified her informant. That made it very difficult to pursue
the question.
2.
Mr Adley said that there had been other examples of the hostile
attitude of the Hong Kong Government. The Ming Pao, a reputable newspaper, had told him that they had been asked by the Government
Information Services for information about Mr Adley. Moreover the
Attorney General, Sir Michael Havers had told him that he had
received enquiries about him. In his discussions with Hong Kong
officials he had been particularly concerned at the attitude adopted
by Mr Denis Bray, the Secretary for Home Affairs.
3.
Some of the Hong Kong Government's attitude was reflected in
the way in which local press had handled the visit. The South China
Morning Post had been particularly hostile. He had been amazed at
the attention which his visit had aroused. He had been followed
everywhere by television cameras and asked a succession of
completely naive questions.
Attitude of UMELCO
4.
Mr Adley said that he was convinced that UMELCO did not