RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 573
RESTRICTED
HKD 026/3
OF 251143Z FEBRUARY 92
82
123457
MDHIAN 4860
026/3
TOP COPY
28
Q DIST ?
jzok
STRICTLY PERSONAL FOR BURNS, AUSS FROM GOVERNOR
YRTELNO 287: VISIT OF LORD CAITHNESS
1. I WAS EQUALLY DISTRESSED TO SEE THE PIECE IN THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST GOSSIP COLUMN ASSOCIATING THE LACK ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT LORD CAITHNESS' VISIT WITH CONCERN ABOUT FEAR OF BEING BURGLED.
2. VERY FEW PEOPLE OUTSIDE GH SAW YOUR TELNO 264 AND NONE/NONE SAW YRTELNO 256. WITHIN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT YRTELNO 264 WENT ONLY TO THE CHIEF SECRETARY, POLITICAL ADVISER AND INFORMATION CO-ORDINATOR. IN ADDITION IT WENT TO THE BRITISH TRADE COMMISSION AND UKREP JLG.
3. I HAVE TALKED PERSONALLY TO ALL THOSE IN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WHO RECEIVED COPIES OF THE RELEVANT TELEGRAM. THEY ALL SAY THAT THEY HAVE NOT SPOKEN ABOUT THE BURGLARY POINT TO ANYBODY ELSE, LET ALONE TO ANY MEMBER OF THE PRESS. SO FAR AS THE INFORMATION SIDE OF THE HOUSE IS CONCERNED, NEITHER THE TELEGRAM, NOR ANY REFERENCE TO ITS CONTENT, WAS PASSED BY THE INFORMATION CO-ORDINATOR TO GIS.
4. TO THE EXTENT THAT ONE CAN EVER TELL WITH PRESS LEAKS OF THIS SORT, PARTICULARLY WHEN THEY FEATURE IN A GOSSIP COLUMN, I AM AS CERTAIN AS I CAN BE THAT THE SOURCE WAS NOT FROM WITHIN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. THAT SAID, I TOTALLY SYMPATHISE WITH LORD CAITHNESS IN HIS ANNOYANCE ABOUT WHAT APPEARED IN THE SCMP ITEM. I ASSUME INCIDENTALLY THAT YOU MUST HAVE SEEN A COPY OF WHAT APPEARED, AND NOT JUST A REPORT ON IT. JUST IN CASE YOU HAVE NOT, I AM FAXING A COPY.
WILSON
YYYY
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