TNAG-0332-FCO40-368-Visits-of-Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Commonwealth-Af-1972 — Page 9

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CONFIDENTIAL

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R ̈C CONFADENTIAL

- 9 JUN 1972

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TO ROUTINE FCO TELNO 493 OF 8 JUNE.

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PEKING TELEGRAM TO FCO 453: SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO CHINA.

1 VERY MUCH HOPE THE SECRETARY OF STATE WILL BE ABLE TO VISIT HONG KONG ON THE OUTWARD JOURNEY TO PEKING TO TALK OVER HONG

KONG BRIEFS.

2. IT WOULD BE VERY VALUABLE IF HE ALSO CALLED HERE ON HIS WAY HOME SO AS TO BRIEF US ON THE OUTCOME. THIS WOULD BE OF PARTICULAR VALUE TO ME PERSONALLY, AND ALSO AS A DEMONSTRATION TO UNOFFICIALS AND THE PUBLIC THAT NOTHING TO THE DETRIMENT OF HONG KONG WAS BEING DONE OVER THEIR HEADS. THIS PROCEDURE, FOLLOWED BY MR ROYLE, PROVED AN OUTSTANDING SUCCESS IN KEEPING THE ATMOSPHERE CALM AND PROMOTING TRUST IN THE UNITED KINGDOM THOUGH I AM AFRAID IT

MADE. VERY HEAVY DEMANDS ON HIM.

3. IT WILL NOT ALWAYS BE NECESSARY TO ADD THIS HONG KONG ROUTINE TO MINISTERIAL VISITS TO CHINA. BUT IT DOES HAVE GREAT VALUE DURING THIS UNEASY PERIOD OF ADJUSTMENT AND UNCERTAINTY IN THE FAR EAST, AND ALSO UNTIL WE ARE MORE SECURE IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT OUR NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA WILL BE AND ITS IMPLICATIONS

FOR HONG KONG.

4. IF IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO COME HERE TWICE, IT WOULD BE RATHER MORE VALUABLE ON THE RETURN FROM PEKING THAM ON THE WAY THERE.

MACLEHOSE

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