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THE LATTER TOLD HIM THAT THERE WAS NO TRUTH IN MR ADLEY'S
ASSERTION THAT BRITISH AIRWAYS TOLD HIM THEY HAD BEEN ADVISED BY
OFFICIAL SOURCES IN HONG KONG AGAINST MR ADLEY'S VISIT. BRITISH
AIRWAYS HAD THEMSELVES DECIDED TO DISSUADE MR ADLEY FROM GOING,
HAVING SEEN THE 2 FEBRUARY ARTICLE IN THE SCMP, WHICH HAD BEEN
SENT TO THEM BY THEIR HONG KONG REPRESENTATIVE. THEY HAD DONE
THIS BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THAT MR ADLEY'S PRESENCE COULD CAUSE
EMBARRASSMENT TO HIS COLLEAGUES, TO BRITISH AIRWAYS, AND TO MR
ADLEY HIMSELF. MR ADLEY HAD HIMSELF LEAPT TO THE CONCLUSION
DURING THE CONVERSATION THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT MUST BE
BEHIND THIS. LORNIE HAD DONE HIS BEST IN THAT CONVERSATION AND
SUBSEQUENT CONVERSATIONS TO CONVINCE MR ADLEY THAT THIS WAS NOT
THE CASE. HE WAS SORRY THAT HE HAD EVIDENTLY NOT SUCCEEDED.
4.
LORNIE MENTIONED THAT HE HAD TELEPHONED LAM IN THE HONG KONG
GOVERNMENT OFFICE BEFORE GETTING IN TOUCH WITH MR ADLEY. FAR
FROM ENCOURAGING HIM TO DISSUADE MR ADLEY FROM GOING TO HONG
KONG, LAM HAD BEEN APPREHENSIVE THAT MR ADLEY MIGHT SEEK TO BLAME
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT FOR BRITISH AIRWAYS' DECISION.
5. THIS COINCIDES WITH WHAT BRITISH AIRWAYS IN HONG KONG HAVE
TOLD YOU. THERE IS OF COURSE NO SUGGESTION IN THE 2 FEBRUARY
SCMP ARTICLE THAT OFFICIAL SOURCES WERE BEING QUOTED. WE ARE
WELL AWARE THAT THE PRESS IN HONG KONG IS PRONE TO CRITICISE MR
ADLEY SPONTANEOUSLY. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF YOU COULD ESTABLISH
HOW MR ADLEY'S IMPENDING TRIP TO HONG KONG FIRST BECAME PUBLIC
WE IMAGINE IT MAY HAVE BEEN MADE PUBLIC BY BA. ALTERNATIVELY
PUBLICITY MAY HAVE RESULTED FROM MR ADLEY'S CONTACTS WITH THE
FOREIGN CNRRESPONDENTS CLUB. COULD YOU ALSO CONFIRM THAT ANN
QUON WAS NOT BRIEFED BY OFFICIAL SOURCES BEFORE WRITING THE 2
FEBRUARY ARTICLE.
6. WE SHALL PREPARE A DRAFT REPLY FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO
SEND TO MR ADLEY ON HIS RETURN.
HOWE
LIMITED
PS
PSI PUS
PS/ MR RENTON
SIR W. HARDING
DR WILSON.
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