REC
010/4
SECRET
... Mr Wyan
مى
201
(Our only copy)
SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1501
OF 220635Z SEPTEMBER 93
Zahalles
ساعد
24/9
Cradock B&
071455
MDHIAN 6190
23/9
M Mári
3a
STRICTLY PERSONAL FOR HUM, AUSS.
FROM: DINHAM, GH.
YOUR TELNO 829: SIR P. CRADOCK'S MEMOIRS.
1.
THE GOVERNOR WAS GRATEFUL FOR TUR AND LOOKS FORWARD TO HEARING FURTHER FROM SIR JOHN COLES FOLLOWING HIS MEETING WITH SIR P.
CRADOCK.
2.
SIR P. CRADOCK'S REPORTED COMMENT IN YOUR PARA 2 THAT HE HAD ATTEMPTED TO DISSUADE DOBBIE FROM PUBLISHING THE STORY SEEMS DISINGENUOUS IN THE LIGHT OF A CONVERSATION WE HAD YESTERDAY WITH DANNY GITTINGS OF THE SUNDAY MORNING POST (SMP). GITTINGS TOLD US THAT THE POST HAD RUN ITS STORY FOLLOWING AN APPROACH MADE TO IT BY SIR PERCY HIMSELF IN LONDON. SIR PERCY APPARENTLY SAID HE HAD BEEN TOLD BY THE FCO THAT A COPY OF THE MANUSCRIPT OF HIS MEMOIRS HAD BEEN REFERRED TO GOVERNMENT HOUSE. SIR PERCY ADDED THAT AS A RESULT HE HAD BEEN PRESSED TO DELETE PASSAGES WHICH COULD BE QUOTE EMBARRASSING TO THE GOVERNOR UNQUOTE. GITTINGS SAID THAT A SOURCE IN WHITEHALL CHE REFUSED TO BE DRAWN ON WHETHER THIS WAS FCO OR CABINET OFFICE) HAD INDEPENDENTLY CONFIRMED THIS STORY TO THE SMP.
3. WE MADE CLEAR AGAIN TO GITTINGS THAT THE GOVERNOR HAD NOT READ
SIR PERCY'S MEMOIRS, NOR HAD HE ASKED FOR ANY DELETIONS TO BE
TEXT.
PATTEN
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