TNAG-0331-FCO40-367-Visits-of-Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Commonwealth-Af-1972 — Page 126

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26.1.77

CONFIDENTIAL

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DRAFT

SPEECH BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE MANDARIN HOTEL ON

14 FEBRUARY 1972

Now that I have

I am sorry that during the twenty months which have elapsed since I became Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary it has not been

possible for me to pay you an earlier visit. managed to get here, and I am delighted to be with you, I should like to begin by saying something about how Hong Kong's affairs are viewed in the United Kingdom and more particularly about my

own relationship with those affairs.

2*

In Britain Hong Kong is now very much on the map,

inside and outside Government circles.

both

A number of Govemment

departments, in addition to my own, take much interest in what is going on here. But I have a special relationship with you since I am the Minister directly responsible for Hong Kong and it is to me that your Governor reports when an issue that affects your interests needs to be brought to the attention of the British Government. And I can give you a personal assurance that whenever that happens those interests, to put it no more highly,

are not allowed to go by default.

3.

I am,

of course,

also answerable to Parliament on your

account. There is a group of Members of Parliament who are constantly active on your behalf and I, and my Ministers, have to answer a steady stream of letters and questions about Hong Kong. These are mostly about social and industrial problems,

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CONFIDENTIAL