GR 600
IMMEDIATE
CYPHER/CAT A
FM HONG KONG 251230Z
CONFIDENTIAL
RIVD
REC
No.52
2 FEB 1975
(ey)
CONFIDENTIAL
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 171 OF 25 FEBRUARY. INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON. (FCO PLEASE PASS).
YOUR TEL 140: MY VISIT.
FOR WATSON FROM GOVERNOR.
GRATEFUL FOR THIS HELPFUL TELEGRAM.
LIFT
REF.
(2.3)
N.
2. I HAVE RECONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF YOUR PARA 4.
THE IDEA OF A SELECT DINNER IN THE PRESENCE OF ROYALTY ON THE THEME
OF INTER-DEPENDENCE IS VERY GOOD.
WHILE
GOING
3. ON THE OTHER HAND I DO NOT LIKE THE IDEA OF COING BACK TO
PRINCESS ALEXANDRA SO SOON, WHICH OBVIOUSLY I WOULD DEFER TO YOUR
ADVICE I DO NOT LIKE EITHER THE IDEA OF APPROACHING PRINCE PHILIP,
THIS IS PARTLY BECAUSE THE ROYAL FAMILY ARE UNDER UNFAIR CRITICISM ANYWAY, AND CONSEQUENTLY I WOULD NOT WISH TO RISK INVOLVING THE PRINCE IN MORE CONTROVERSY OR IN HAVING TO REFUSE OUR APPROACH
TO AVOID THE RISK. DUT ALSO BECAUSE IT IS RATHER SHORT NOTICE:
HE IS AT PRESENT IN MEXICO AND IT MIGHT GIVE THE FALSE IMPRESSION
THAT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE QUEENS VISIT AND AM ADOPTING A PANIC
MEASURE. SUCH AN IMPRESSION COULD SOUR THE VISIT ITSELF,
4. MOREOVER TO ASK THE PRINCE TO GO IN TO BAT FOR HONG KONG (OR LEND
HIS NAME TO SUPPORTING IT) BEFORE HE HAS SEEN IT, WOULD BE PUTTING
THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE.
5. ON THE OTHER HAND A SUCCESSFUL VISIT MIGHT PAVE THE WAY FOR
SUCH AN ENGAGEMENT LATER IN THE YEAR. I WOULD THEREFORE PREFER TO
CONCENTRATE ON THE LATTER AND LEAVE AN APPROACH UNTIL AFTER (OR DURING ) THE QUEEN'S VISIT, AFTER I COULD HAVE DISCUSSED IT WITH
MARTIN CHARTERIS,
16.
CONFIDENTIAL
Amended by HK folw 172.
requested
Mr Stuart has intritted a deft reply
3D 262
PA PD 28/2
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