TNAG-0229-FCO40-265-Long-term-study-of-future-of-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 6

Micaloberish /

(a)

For the present, in administering the

Colony we must assume, and be seen to

assume, that we shall be there at any

rate until 1997.

This may seem a somewhat

[Extempore] policy.

As

I acknowledged at the outset, disaster could

befall us at any time with very little notice.

But short of some radical transformation of the

situation, e.g. an all-out effort by the Chinese

to make our position intolerable or an expressed

determination by them to take over the Colony

in the fairly near future, the approach I have

outlined might see us through at any rate the

which is perhaps as

next five to ten years

-

far ahead as it is prudent to look in dealing

with Hong Kong.

7.

The conclusions above are broadly in line

with the conclusions and recommendations of the

report K(69)1. Accordingly, I propose that the

Committee, if it shares my views, should give

general endorsement to the recommendations of

K(69)1; and taking up the particular recommenda-

tion that future policy with regard to Hong Kong

be reviewed at regular intervals in consultation

with the Governor, should direct officials to

undertake a further review in the course of this

year in time to submit a revised report to the

Committee in the first half of 1971 by which

time the next Governor should have taken up his

/post.

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