CONFIDENTIAL
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Communist confrontation which it weathered with
remarkable resilience.
Throughout that confrontation
marked
its people have displayed a remarkable degree of
loyalty to the Governor and of public support for the
The key to our ability to continue
administration.
to hold the situation there against the persistent
To undermine one
position
efforts of the Communists/is the maintenance of public
confidence in our intentions towards and support for
the Colony. The Governor, during discussions towards
the end of last year with Ministers and officials in
London, urged most strongly the need for overt
expressions of continuing British interest in and
concern for the people of Hong Kong. A visit by a
member of the Royal Family would be a most effective
and desirable way of doing this: it would also provide
a great fillip to local morale and fit recognition
of the immense and successful efforts which the Colony
Lems.
has made to meet its very difficult post-war problems.
14.
The Governor has stated that if a Royal Visit
were to be approved and on the basis that it would
last three or four days, a minimum of four months
would be needed for planning, although this period
could be slightly reduced if absolutely essential.
The necessary overt planning for such a visit would
take three months. The date of the inauguration of the
water scheme can be at any time after 1 October, 1968.
has
The Governor advised against bringing the date
Л
forward because of the risk of heavy rain or of the
ceremony having to be cancelled altogether because of
typhoon conditions.
On this basis,/a-announcement of
the visit would need to be made by the end of June or
shortly afterwards.
CONFIDENTIAL
/5.
23
Take in
slup
I a decision on
whether the visit should take place. will need to be made hot later than mid- June and an amouncement about it will
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