CO537-6564 — Page 53

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96038/1(15)

The Church House,

Great Smith Street,

S. W. 1.

22 August, 1950

SECRET

Dear Mr. Murray

Would you please refer to your letter of 31st July (PR 121/1) enclosing a letter from Mr. Rayner about the supply of publications to Mr. Leslie Smith in Hong Kong.

We agree, generally speaking, with Mr. Rayner's view of the relative importance, as publicity targets, of the Chinese in Hong Kong and the Overseas Chinese in South East Asia. But the chief consideration is that touched on by you when you point to the risk of embroiling Hong Kong in a propaganda warfare. is, as you know, of first importance that Hong Kong should not be used in any way as a spearhead of anti-Comunist propaganda,

It

As you have indicated to Mr. Rayner, it is essential that Mr. Smith's proposals should have the political agreement of the Hong Kong Government.

The suggestions in paragraphs 5 and 6 of Mr. Rayner's letter are, of course, also a matter to be decided between Mr. Smith and that Government, with whom he is presumably working in close liaison as laid down in his terms of reference.

Yours sincerely,

F. R. H. MURRAY, ESQ., C.M.G.,

FOREIGN OFFICE

S. W. 1.

(Sd) Jessica Ware)