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4. I asked him what guidance he received from OMELCO about the line he should be taking on this and other issues. admitted that he received very little guidance, and accepted my point that OMELCO represented such a broad spectrum of views, that it was often difficult to discern an agreed OMELCO line. But he did assure me that he kept in close touch with Mr Yaxley, who chairs regular "Hong Kong Family" meetings, including Mr Lang.
5.
With disarming frankness, Mr Lang admitted that the office had been set up in the face of fairly strong opposition from the Governor and Mr Yaxley. From my own discussions with Mr Yaxley, I know that his views have not
changed much.
(b) VISITORS
6.
I asked Mr Lang whether OMELCO visitors kept him very busy. He said that there were one or two frequent visitors (eg Dame Lydia Dunn and Ron Arculli) who did make use of his services. Others, such as Mr Purves (Hong Kong Bank) used his own bank if assistance was required. He added that a
number of
OMELCO members visited Britain for purely private reasons, eg to visit their children at school, and made no contact with the office. All in all, I gained the clear impression that there was little activity for Mr Lang on this front.
7. Mr Lang said a little about future visitors. Dame Lydia Dunn and Mr Ron Arculli will be coming to London this month to lobby in advance of the Lords Debate on the Nationality Bill. A Dinner to meet Peers is being arranged
(by the Hong Kong Government Office!) for Dame Lydia Dunn. Looking further ahead, Mr Lang said that a conference in
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