Mr Clewley Mr Laird
НКК 13/6
Reference
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Flagged fo
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We recently received Sir David Trench's Valedictory Despatch written shortly before his departure from Hong Kong last October.
2. We now have to consider:
3.
(a)
(b)
Whether the despatch should be reproduced in the FCO print series for distribution in the normal manner, and
what form of reply we should send to the despatch.
As regards (a), I do not consider that the Despatch should be printed. For one thing it has taken nearly four months to reach us and is therefore somewhat out of date. Nor is it, in fact, in a suitable form for printing. Indeed, the Despatch serves as little more than a covering letter to a copy of Sir David's final address to the Hong Kong Legislative Council on 1 October 1971. It mentions only two matters the defence contribution (which is, perhaps, advisedly dealt with very cursorily) and the threats to the continued expansion of Hong Kong's export trade.
4.
G
Otherwise, the Governor is in effect asking us to regard his speech to the Legislative Council as a review of events since 1964. The address is a long one and would certainly not be suitable for printing.
5. I am in some doubt about the form of reply, if any, to be sent to the Despatch. Sir Leslie Monson has briefly acknowledged its receipt in his d/o letter to Sir Hugh Norman-Walker but I presume that some further reply is necessary. If it is, then I suggest that it might take the form of a formal Despatch which could touch on the following points:
(1) If we delay replying until the final outcome
of the recent textiles negotiations between UK and Hong Kong is known, we might include a reference to this.
(2) Possibly a mention of the latest situation
regarding the Japanese GPS - if the situation is favourable, coupled with a reference to the situation after our entry into the EEC.
(3) Any developments on the US front in relation
to the textiles situation.
DD 896639 140609 500M 7/71 GM 3643/2
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