TNAG-0382-FCO40-428-Sterling-assets-and-balance-of-payments-of-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 163

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(222)

GRS 302

EN CLAIR

FM HONGKONG 220800Z

UNCLASSIFIED

TO ROUTINE FCO TEL BTC 151 OF 22 NOV.

1973

STERLING

HKK5/1

TOP COMT

PA

1521

w/212

Z

HEAD STORY IN BUSINESS SECTION OF TO-DAY'S SCNP REPORTS H.K. GOVERN→

HENT'S "ANGRY REBUTTAL TO A SERIES OF AMAZING ALLEGATIONS LEVELLED

AGAINST THE COLONY' IN THE OPEN FILE' COLUMN OF THE GUARDIAN

w212) OF 14 NOVEMBER UNDER HEADLINE YELLOW STREAK'', IT CLAIMS THAT

"A LETTER HAS BEEN DRAFTED HERE AND TELEXED FOR THE SIGNATURE

OF THE H.K.G. COMMISSIONER IN LONDON INVITING THE GUARDIAN TO

PUBLISH THE FOLLOWING REMARKS:-

"APART FROM THE MOST MISLEADING IMPRESSION OF HONGKONG CONVEYED

BY THE RIOTPRONE AND CORRUPTION-PRONE TAUNTS, AND YOUR PECULIAR

INTERPRETATION OF WHERE AUTHORITY LIES IN HONGKONG, THERE ARE TWO

PARTICULAR POINTS IN YOUR COLUMN WHICH CALL FOR COMMENT. FIRST:

THE PHRASE ''YELLOW STREAK, WHATEVER IT IS MEANT TO CONVEY, 15

MOST OFFENSIVE. SECONDLY WE DO NOT KNOW THE SOURCE OF YOUR ALLEGA-

TION THAT HONGKONG HAS THREATENED TO SWITCH ITS MONEY OUT OF STERLING

3-хи

4

"THIS IS A LIE DUE, EITHER TO HALICE OR IGNORANCE, AND NEITHER DOES

YOUR NEWSPAPER CREDIT THUNDERED THE OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT LETTER,

I

# 1

''

THE REPORT REFERS TO THE 'FURY OF TOP OFFICIALS HERE ENGAGED

IN THE MOST DELICATE NEGOTIATIONS'' WITH H.N.G. OVER REQUEST TO

DIVERSIFY FUNDS.

/ THE

}