CONFIDENTIAL
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Bu
London SW1
J N Archer Esq
Marine Division
DTI
Sunley House
90-93 High Holborn
WC1
Dew John,
Telephone 01-
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RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No. 51
31 JAN1974
нскија
28 January 194
8
HONG KONG REGISTER OF SHIPPING
You
We spoke on the telephone about the present situation. told me that a message was about to be sent to the Governor but that it was likely that the draft report of the DTI team would not be shown to the Governor.
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I promised to put in writing my preliminary reaction which was that, having paid for the DTI team's visit, the Governor would and could legitimately expect a full report on their conclusions. Experience in dealing with Hong Kong has also shown that negotiations are apt to be much stickier if they believe that HMG is withholding information and prior consultation from them, than if we can demonstrate that they are kept fully informed and consulted at every stage. The Governor is expecting a copy of the draft report and has indeed telegraphed me to ask when to expect it. I attach a copy of his telegram no. 111.
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I do not, of course, know what is in the report. be that it contains derogatory remarks about Hong Kong civil servants which we would not want them to see. If so we could, when sending the report to the Governor, ask him to confine its circulation to himself, with perhaps the addition of nominated senior officers such as the Colonial Secretary. Unless you see very strong objection, I think we should do at least this.
Perhaps you could advise me how I should reply to the Governor's telegram, in due
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Yammer
Andrew Sho
A C Stuart
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Dept.
CONFIDENTIAL
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