TNAG-0208-FCO40-244-Discussions-about-extension-to-Kai-Tak-airport-1969 — Page 35

COMNIT

OF PRIV

OUNCIL'HOR TRADE

Our Reference: EE/78/02.

CONFIDENTIAL.

BOARD OF TRADE

SHELL-MEX HOUSE

STRAND

LONDON, W.C.2

2nd July, 1969.

Spoken to Mr. Coe

He will award hiscony

letter to the Treasury

Dear Corrter,

कृ

which crossed this,

Kai-Tak Loan.

P.A.

46)

I have seen a piece in the South China Morning Post of 3rd June referring to a recent visit to Hong Kong by Lord Shepherd and alleging that the Minister said on arrival: "I do not think that Hong Kong needs. the loan if you take a look at your buoyant economy."

2. More recently "Flight International" of 26th June contained an item headed "No loan for Kai-Tak" and going on to say Hong Kong will not get a HK$90 million (£6.2 million) loan from Britain to extend the Kai Tak Airport runway by 2,000 ft. Lord Shepherd, Joint Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, confirmed this at a press conference before returning to London after a week's visit to Hong Kong. He said: "Britain cannot afford to extend a loan to Hong Kong at the present time.

Hong Kong is quite capable of looking after itself - more so, in fact, than other countries who need help."

3.

Would you be kind enough to let me know whether the Minister has been correctly reported and, if so, whether the examination of E.C.G.D. possibilities is affected in any way.

92

Усто этсети

W. S. Carter, Esq.,

Foreign and Commonwealth Office,

(Hong Kong Dept.),

Downing Street, LONDON, S.W.1.

(W. J. Coe)

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No.51

- 4 JUL 1969

MKK 21/11