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I have, of course, noted what you have said about the assign- ment in your penultimate paragraph; but, in the light of what I have said, you will understand how important it is for me to be able to report to the Fellows that I had assumed their acceptance of my complete dispensation from my duties as Master for the Michaelmas Term only because the Government were particularly concerned that I should, if at all possible, undertake this Monitoring task.
If you could spare the time at our meeting, it would be most helpful to have a rather clearer view of the character of the Monitoring role, and the potential difficulties foreseen in dis- charging it. Since I would need to give as early warning as possible of my withdrawal from commitments (some of them in the last week of September) for which a replacement would have to be found, I should also be glad to know when and how the FCO and the Hong Kong Government plan to announce the appointment of the Monitoring Team.
I look forward to coming to see you next Tuesday afternoon.
yours smicortly, Patrick fruime
(Patrick Nairne)
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