TNAG-0207-FCO40-243-Construction-of-a-cross-harbour-tunnel--under-Hong-Kong-harb-1969 — Page 82

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CONFIDENTIAL

2.

MARCH 27 THAT HE WOULD MAKE A PUBLIC

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE GOVERNMENTS

DECISION AT THE SAME TIME AS HE DESPATCHED THE LETTER TO THE TUNN

COMPANY.

4. YOU WILL BE AWARE THAT I AM MOST ANXIOUS TO AVOID GETTING

BACK TO THE POSITION WHERE THE TUNNEL NEGOTIATIONS ARE A MATTER

OF PUBLIC AND PRESS DISCUSSION AND TAKEN AS A TOKEN OF BRITAIN'S

POLITICAL FAITH IN THE POLITICAL FUTURE OF THE COLONY. 1

DISCUSSED MY FEARS FRANKLY

WITH COWPERTHWAITE ON MARCH 27 AFTER ASKING TO SEE HIM. I DO NOT THINK HE IS CONVINCED OF THE POLITICAL RISKS INVOLVE,

BUT AT LEAST HE AGREED TO DELAY PUBLICATION FOR A LITTLE TIME, AND IN THE MEANTIME TELEGRAPH THE TEXT OF HIS PROPOSED

PRESS RELEASE TO YOU.

5. 1

I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD GIVE HIS DRAFT YOUR IMMEDIATE

CONSIDERATION.

(F C O PLS PASS TO REPETEES)

SIR D. TRENCH

/COPIES SENT TO B/TRADE AND E.C.G.D._/

FILES

H.K.D.

F.P. & A.D.

CONFIDENTIAL

ADVANCE COPIES SENT.