RECEIVED IN
CONFIDENTIAL REGISTRY No. $1
PRIORITY
LAST
RET
3)
CYPHER/CAT A
HEA
FM HONG KONG 14014RÉE.
CONFIDENTIAL
14 JAN 1972
Nick 22/5.
6
TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 27 OF 14TH JANUARY 1972.
DESK BY $930Z/14
Re
MY TELEGRAMS NOS 937 AND 966 AND YOUR TELS NOS 948 AND 12.
S OF S'S VISIT.
FOR PRIVATE SECRETARY.
THIS TELEGRAM DEALS WITH THE THEME OF THE VISIT AS I SEE IT, AND THE ARGUMENT BEHIND THE AMENDED PROGRAMME. MY THREE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING TELEGRAMS CONTAIN AMENDMENTS TO THE PROGRAMME AND SOME NUTS AND BOLTS POINTS TO BE RAISED, AND THE DRAFT FOR A SPEECH RESPECTIVELY.
2.
PEOPLE HERE WILL NOT EXPECT THE S OF S IN SO SHORT A TIME TO BRIEF HIMSELF ON THE DETAILS OF COLONIAL ADMINISTRATION OR LOCAL POLITICS - SUCH AS THEY ARE. BUT THEY WILL EXPECT HIM TO CAST AN INTERESTED IF FLEETING EYE UPON THIS DISTANT CHARGE, AND THEY WILL HOPE TO GAIN FROM WHAT HE SAYS SOME REASSURANCE ABOUT THEIR FUTURE.
3. THE LATTER SHOULD COVER:
A) THE AFFECT ON HONG KONG OF MAJOR CURRENT INTERNATIONAL CHANGES (NIXON/CHINA ETC AND ENLARGEMENT OF EEC)
B) THE THREAT OF PROTECTIONISH TO HONG KONG'S GROWTH
C) H M G'S CONTINUING INTEREST, PEOPLE HERE WOULD LIKE TO FEEL THAT THE U.K. RECOGNIZES THAT HER RELATIONS WITH AND OBLIGATIONS TOWARDS
A COLONY LIKE HONG KONG ARE IN A DIFFERENT AND HIGHER
CATEGORY THAN IN THE CASE OF INDEPENDENT COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES
IN FACT THEY DISLIKE BEING LUMPED IN WITH THE COMMONWEALTH.
4. MY ADVICE IS THAT THE S OF S SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON GIVING A
GENERAL IMPRESSION AS ABOVE. HE SHOULD NOT DETRACT FROM THIS BY
TAKING THE INITIATIVE IN MENTIONING DIRECTLY RECENT
CONTENTIOUS ISSUES SUCH AS DEFENCE COSTS, THE LOAN FOR THE AIRPORT THAT WAS NOT GIVEN, OR THE EXTENSION OF QUOTA RESTRICTION ON COTTONS. NOR SHOULD BE APPEAR IN PUBLIC TO LEAN. ON HONG KONG
OVER HOUSING ETC, AUD WE HAVE DRAFTED HIS SPEECH ACCORDINGLY, BUT NO DOUBT YOU WILL PROVIDE HIM WITH DEFENSIVE BRIEFS ON THESE
TOPICS IN CASE HE IS QUERIED ON THEM.
CONFIDENTIAL
150 THOUGH
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