Peter Bottomley, Esq., M.F. "
House of Commons,
London,
U.K.
A 16 Celestial Garden 5 Repulse Bay Road Hong Kong
10 January 1988
Dear Peter "
I am writing to you because you may remember my name from
being at school with me and therefore be more inclined to take more notice of this letter than if it came from a complete stranger. I saw in the South China Morning Post that you and your wife were in Hong Kong. I am also writing to my M.P. and I may say that it is the first time that I have ever written
M.P.S ΟΠΙ any
subject.
I
to
have been working in Hong Kong for just over a year and have become increasingly disturbed by the apparent weakness of the British authorities over direct elections and related matters. The purpose of this letter is simply to urge you to impress upon the government that relatively a-political people like me have the strong impression that not enough is being done to safeguard the interests of the population of Hong Kong in the run-up to 1997.
is
1 have no direct interest in the matter. I shall be long gone and have no close friends or relations who plan to stay. However I have a strong desire that the U.K. should behave honourably. Obviously the hand which we have to play against the P.R.C. not strong, but my impression is that the present leadership sincere in its good intentions and diplomats are supposed to well paid in order, among other things, to play weak hands well.
be
I shall follow with great interest the forthcoming debate in the House of Commons on the subject.
Please do not bother to acknowledge this letter. On the other hand, I I should be grateful if my name were kept confidential. My views are purely personal and my employers have interests in China which I should not wish to jeopardize.
Yours sincerely,
Richard Hitchman
Richard Hitchman
business