TNAG-0436-FCO40-501-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-international-organisations-1973 — Page 111

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M Youor

NACIOD

248)

CONFIDENTIAL

TO IMMEDIATE F C O TELNO 283 OF 5TH MARCH, 1974.

23) Pe

FOR YOUDE.

HONG KONG DELEGATION TO ECAFE MEETING 27TH MARCH TO 8TH APRIL.

EVANS LETTER TO STRATTON OF 15TH JUNE 1973 (HKK 2/1)

WE HAVE TO DECIDE WHO WILL HEAD OUR DELEGATION THIS YEAR.

THE TRADITION IS THAT THE LEADER IS AN UNOFFICIAL, AND THAT HE

LEADS FOR TWO YEARS RUNNING. THEREFORE OTHER THINGS BEING EQUAL

ANN SHOULD LEAD AGAIN.

2.

MY PERSONAL FEELING IS THAT THINGS WENT OFF REMARKABLY WELL

FOR HONG KONG IN TOKYO LAST YEAR AND THAT INSOFAR AS THERE WERE

ANY DIFFICULTIES THESE TENDED TO BE MAGNIFIED BY OVER-ANALYSIS.

3. I AM PERPLEXED AT THE DESCRIPTION OF ANN AS TACTLESS (SEE EVANS' LETTER) BECAUSE HE IS THE MILDEST OF MEN, THOUGH HE MAY HAVE BEEN RATHER NERVOUS).

4.

EVANS' LETTER, BROADLY SPEAKING, LEFT THE CHOICE IN OUR HANDS,

AND I WOULD PREFER TO FOLLOW PRECEDENT AND APPOINT ANN IF HE CAN GO.

I WOULD HAVE A WORD WITH HIM AND ENJOIN A LOW PROFILE.

IF SO,

5.

BEFORE DOING SO, AND IN VIEW OF THE TERMS OF EVANS' LETTER, PERHAPS YOU WOULD CONFIRM THAT YOU SEE NO OBJECTION FROM YOUR POINT

OF VIEW.

MACLEHOSE

SENT AT 0909Z/05 EJH

LART

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