CONFIDENTIAL
106.45
MDHIAN 1944
AT THE MOMENT HE HAS MADE NO DECISION ABOUT WHETHER TO DO SO: WE UNDERSTAND THAT HIS SUPPORTERS ARE RELUCTANT TO ACCOMPANY HIM AGAIN. A STRONG HINT THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE WOULD SEE HIM WOULD SURELY TIP THE BALANCE. YOU WILL WISH TO CONSIDER THE LIKELY IMPACT OF A FURTHER VISIT BY LEE AT AROUND THE TIME OF THE DEBATE ON HONG KONG AND WHETHER THEREFORE WE SHOULD BE TAKING ACTION WHICH MIGHT TILT THE BALANCE IN FAVOUR OF A VISIT.
4.
I RECOMMEND THAT LORD GLENARTHUR'S LETTER SHOULD CONFINE ITSELF TO REITERATING HIS OWN READINESS TO SEE LEE AND OTHER
THIS MEMBERS OF LEGCO WHO MIGHT ACCOMPANY HIM ON ANOTHER VISIT. WOULD OF COURSE STILL ALLOW THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO AGREE TO SEE LEE IF, AS WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY BE THE CASE IF HE PLANS TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE GO TO LONDON AGAIN, HE ASKS FOR A CALL. WOULD ALSO STILL BE IN A POSITION TO MAKE IT CLEAR, E.G. TO MPS, THAT HE IS ALWAYS IN PRINCIPLE READY TO SEE VISITORS BUT THAT THIS WAS SIMPLY NOT A PRACTICAL POSSIBILITY ON THE OCCASION OF LEE'S PREVIOUS VISIT.
WILSON
YYYY
MAIN
LIMITED
HKD
PS
NNNN
25
DISTRIBUTION
25
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
MR GILLMORE
MR MCLAREN
2
PAGE
CONFIDENTIAL