}
SWISDOM, JAMES
Transcript of a report on a BBC's interview with Baroness Park carried by R-3's "HK Today" on 22.11.93
Presenter: A former senior officer in Britain's intelligence agency MI6 has revealed details of secret operations in connection with the negotiations with China over HK's future. In the BBC television programme "Panorama", which is to be broadcast later today. Baroness Park, who is known as the Queen of Spies, also reveals how agents infiltrated the HK business world. On the line with the report from London is our correspondent Steve Wright.
Wright:
Yes, the revelations of Baroness Park, who has been dubbed Britain's Queen of Spies, probably is the first officially sanctioned interview by a former MI6 officer. Baroness Park, who is also a former principal at Somerville College, Oxford, highlights the role of MI6 getting information about the Chinese during talks on HK. Speaking during a TV documentary, she also reveals the extent to which MI6 collaborates closely with industry in HK. She says MI6 has planted agents in many leading British companies in the territory and also uses its informal contacts among businocemon to exchange isportant commercial information, giving Britain obvious advantages over competitors. Baroness Park's comments come just days after the Queen's speech in which the Government announced plans to make MI6 more accountable as part of Prime Minister John Major's drive towards a more open government. The existence of MI6 was officially acknowledged the first time by Mr Major last year during a Commons debate. Baroness Park, who has worked as under-cover agent all over the world, ended her spying career as a Senior Controller. one of the top ten posts in the service. She worked in Moscow, Outer Mongolia and Vietnam during her career and has made no secret of the fact that she detests Communism. BBC's "Panorama" programme traces MI6's past operations and looks ahead to its role in the new post-Cold War world order.
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