TNAG-0225-FCO40-261-Ministerial-meetings-on-internal-affairs-of-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 19

HILI

GOVERNMENT HOUSE

HONG KONG

12/201

PERSONAL & CONFIDENTIAL

LAS

C

My dear Sheretary of State

Hong Kong Duff for odnie

6

ps/Mh goyle Sin/Mouson / de Scott.

Poluc

17th September 1970

Thank you for your personal and confidential

letter of 3rd August, about Hong Kong.

I am grateful to you for the assurances contained in the first part of your letter. Anything that can be done to foster a general feeling here that Hong Kong can indeed rely in all respects on Britain's tangible support would be of great value in the task of ensuring that affairs here do not degenerate dangerously.

Before turning in detail to the three subjects mentioned in your letter, I would first like to assure you that all these matters have for many years been the subject of continuous, detailed and complex studies. They have by no means been over-looked at any time: but it is of course one of the characteristics of the Hong Kong milieu that it is necessary to be very careful over every step that is taken. Apart from the inherent complexities of the Hong Kong scene, all actions here are liable, even with the exercise of foresight based on the fullest possible knowledge, to have unexpected side-effects of a damaging nature. We have come to learn this from long and sometimes bitter experience the latest example being the price rises and the widespread criticism of them which followed upon the

25/9.

The Right Honourable

Sir Alec Douglas-Home, KT, PC, DL, MP