XN000022-1983-03-12 — Page 2

SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 1983

1

+VERY GOOD WEEK IN LONDON+, SAYS GOVERNOR ON RETURN

****

THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID ON HIS RETURN TO HONG KONG TODAY FROM LONDON THAT HE AND BRITAIN'S AMBASSADOR TO BEIJING, SIR PERCY CRADOCK, HAD HAD A VERY GOOD WEEK IN LONDON.+

SIR EDWARD SAID IT WAS VERY VALUABLE THAT SIR PERCY AND I COULD BE IN LONDON AT THE SAME TIME TO GO OVER THE SITUATION WITH MINISTERS, AND IT GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A VERY USEFUL REVIEW.+

WHILE OF COURSE HE COULD NOT GO INTO THE CONTENTS OF THE DISCUSSIONS, THEY WERE A VERY USEFUL PREPARATION FOR SIR PERCY'S RETURN TO BEIJING, THE GOVERNOR ADDED.

SIR PERCY ARRIVED ON THE SAME AIRCRAFT WITH SIR EDWARD AND IS SCHEDULED TO CATCH ANOTHER FLIGHT TO BEIJING THIS AFTERNOON.

SIR PERCY, ANSWERING QUESTIONS FROM PRESSMEN AT THE AIRPORT, SAID THE TALKS WILL GO ON,+ ADDING THAT THE DISCUSSIONS JUST CONCLUDED WERE VERY, VERY SATISFACTORY; VERY USEFUL TALKS.+

THE GOVERNOR, ASKED IF HE WOULD BE GOING TO BEIJING AGAIN, SAID HE WOULD DO SO +AS SOON AS WE REACH A POINT AT WHICH MY PARTICIPATION WOULD BE USEFUL.+

ASKED TO COMMENT ON THE URBAN COUNCIL ELECTIONS, THE GOVERNOR SAID HE WAS PLEASED THAT THEY WENT SO WELL AND THAT SUCH A COMPARATIVELY LARGE NUMBER OF VOTERS TOOK PART.

AT THE AIRPORT TO GREET THE GOVERNOR THIS MORNING WERE THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, SIR S.Y. CHUNG AND THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR ROGER LOBO.

SIR PERCY CRADOCK SEES EXCO MEMBERS

****

DURING HIS STOP OVER IN HONG KONG ON HIS WAY TO BEIJING, THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR TO BEIJING TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IN GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

SIR PERCY CRADOCK LATER LEFT FOR KAI TAK TO CATCH HIS FLIGHT TO BEIJING.

/2