establish, no Hong Kong Government official was in touch with the press at all about your visit before it was cancelled. British Airways here have told
us that they believe publicity for your visit was probably initiated by their Hong Kong office. It appears to have been your contacts with the Hong Kong Foreign Correspondents' Club which gave rise to the article by Ann Quon in the South China
Morning Post of 2 February. There is of course no suggestion in that article that there had been any
official briefing.
The Governor will no doubt reply himself
to your letter. But meanwhile he has asked me to assure you that both he and the Hong Kong Government welcome visits by yourself or other members of
Parliament at any time.
I have read the letter from Elsie Elliott
which you enclosed personally, and without regard to the merits of their case, I have no doubts of the sincerity of those people in Hong Kong who
advocate the extension of British citizenship to the
non-Chinese ethnic minorities. As you know the Govern-
ment has not yet formed a final view on this request.
I can confirm that the other matter which
you mention in the postcript to your letter is being pursued with the Hong Kong Government.
GEOFFREY HOWE
Jestten