TNAG-0333-FCO40-369-Visits-of-Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Commonwealth-Af-1972 — Page 39

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FM HONG KONG 200930 Z

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TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 962 OF 20 OCTOBER. 1972

FOLLOWING FOR WILFORD FROM GOVERNOR.

YOUR TELEGRAM 904 ABOUT ASTON,

RGYN 81

AS YOU WILL BE STAYING ON COULD YOU NOT BRIEF ASTON YOURSELF'

SEPARATELY? I HAVE OF COURSE ASKED THE ASTONS TO THE LUNCH FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE, BUT OFFICIALS WOULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY HE HAD BEEN INCLUDED IN A CONFIDENTIAL BRIEIFING FOR THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ON MATTERS WHICH WERE MOSTLY OUTSIDE HIS TERMS OF

REFERENCE, IF THE SECRETARY OF STATE FEELS VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THIS ¦ WOULD NOT WISH TO RESIST, BUT IT WOULD IN ANY CASE BE ESSENTIAL THAT HE LEFT WELL BEFORE UNOFFICIALS ARRIVED.

2. 1 AM SORRY TO APPEAR STICKY, BUT THIS KIND OF INNOVATION

REALLY WOULD NOT HELP ASTON. IF YOU LIKE WE COULD TALK ABOUT IT WHILE YOU ARE HERE.

MACLEHOSE

FILES

HKIOD

SIR D WATSON

MR WILFORD

CONFIDENTIAL