TNAG-0124-FCO40-160-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1969 — Page 32

TOP SECRET AND PERSONAL

Hong Kong Department

28 April, 1969

(44)

Thank you for

for your letter of

seeing Wright while he was in Hong Kong and 16 April about your talk with him.

It is a little puzzling that he should have asked for the collection of a lot of economic statistics in this connection;

this might suggest that he has not altogether understood what he has been asked to do. John Moreton and I will have a talk with him when he gets back to this country, with a view to finding out what extra information he considers he needs and why he wants it. This should clear up any misunderstanding about the task he has been set. If any points remain that need to be considered with you, they could be dealt with when John Moreton visits Hong Kong in June with Lord Shepherd.

You need have no fear that Wright's part in all this is

holding up consideration of the long term report.

He is only

concerned with the likely follow-up action envisaged in the report. The Secretary of State has now approved the report and it has been circulated to members of the Hong Kong Ministerial Committee. No date has yet been fixed for its consideration, but we expect it to be taken in the course of a week or two. We think it likely that thereafter it will be presented to the Defence and Oversea

Policy Committee.

Do you not think that one copy of the report ought to be held in your strongroom in Hong Kong? You and Norman-Walker are, I suggest, going to find it difficult to remember even the parts of substance as time goes by and there will be the problem of your successors in office. You could perhaps discuss this point too with John Moreton, by which time we hope we shall have had some

collective ministerial reaction on the report.

LAST

REF.

(42

(W. S. Carter)

NOX

REF.

His Excellency

Sir David Trench, GCMG., MC.,

Government House,

HONG KONG,

TOP SECRET AND PERSONAL