CONFIDENTIAL
MDHI
175574 3040
UNDERLINED) AFTER HIS ARRIVAL IN HONG KONG.
FOR A RESPECTED AND RATIONAL STATESMAN OF MR LEE'S CALIBRE TO FEED CHINESE PARANOIA IN THIS WAY IS VERY UNFORTUNATE.
CANNOT SEE WHAT HE INTENDED TO ACHIEVE BY REPEATING THESE IDEAS ON SEVERAL SEPARATE OCCASIONS (WITH ALMOST PRECISELY THE SAME WORDING, SUGGESTING THEY WERE NOT THOUGHT UP ON THE SPUR OF THE MOMENT). FRIENDS OF HONG KONG, BRITAIN AND CHINA COULD CONTRIBUTE BY SEEKING TO LESSEN ANY MISUNDERSTANDINGS THERE MAY BE: NOT EXACERBATE THEM.
4. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE US CONSULATE-GENERAL HAVE RECOMMENDED TO WASHINGTON THAT THEY ISSUE A STATEMENT SAYING LEE IS MISTAKEN IN ASSERTING THAT THE US WAS BEHIND MY PROPOSALS.
5. YOU MIGHT WISH TO CONSIDER A STATEMENT YOURSELVES TO THE EFFECT THAT YOU HAD POINTED OUT TO THE SINGAPORE HIGH COMMISSIONER THAT MY PROPOSALS WERE DRAWN UP BY ME AFTER MY ARRIVAL IN HONG KONG. MR LEE'S THEORY IS WITHOUT FOUNDATION.
PATTEN
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
63
.HK POLICY
HKD
PUSD
FED
DISTRIBUTION
72
PLANNERS
RAD
PS
LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT
.AND MS BROOKS
NEWS D
PS/MR GOODLAD
SIR J COLES
MR APPLEYARD
MR HUM
ADDITIONAL
9
CAOFF//SIR R BRAITHWAITE
CAOFF//MISS NEVILLE-JONES CAOFF//MR SIBSON
~~~~
CAOFF //MS D CORNER CAOFF //MR CHARLTON PS/PM
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CONFIDENTIAL