Draft letter from Sir Robin Butler to Sir Percy Cradock
Rt Hon Sir Percy Cradock GCMG
303 Richmond Road
Twickenham
Middlesex TW1 2NP
Thank you for your letter of 20 July and for the revised
text of the two chapters of your memoirs. I recognise
that you have made an effort to meet two of our main
concerns that revelation of details of past confidential
negotiations with the Chinese might prejudice current
negotiations and that criticism of the position of HMG and
the Governor might also weaken our ability to conduct the
present negotiations by implying (to the Chinese) that
there were divided counsels within HMG.
I therefore think it may be worth continuing the "exploration" which you propose.
May I suggest that you
contact John Coles at the FCO to arrange a time to do
this. He will be generally available until he goes on
leave on 20 August.
If it is possible for the text to be sufficiently amended
to meet our main difficulties I shall be glad to consider
the text which then emerges and let you know whether it is
possible to withdraw our objections.