SMOKET
Foreign and Commonwealth Office London SW1
R J Andrew Esq
AUS(GS)
MOD
Main Building
Telephone 01-
Your reference
Our reference HKK 10/1
Date
26 November 1975
395
1.
Das Rabeut,
As I mentioned to you last evening, I have received a Personal telegram for the Governor Hong Kong, at present on leave in this country. I enclose in photostat the relevant parts of the telegram.
2.
As I also mentioned, I spoke to the Governor on the telephone and I told him it was not my understanding that Mir Rodgers envisaged a full scale meting between the two sides when he saw the Governor on Thursday next at 10.30. I understand from you that this is so. Nonetheless I do see some merit, since Hong Kong seem anxious to send a team of officials here next week, for there to be a final round-up with them chaired by you before the Governor calls on Mr Rodgers. As I understand it, we are very close to agreement on the various outstanding points of detail and there is a fair prospect that both the Minister and the Governor will be able to meet in the knowledge that their officials are agreed.
3.
I shall be in touch tomorrow with the Governor to discuss with him the text of the proposed announcement referred to in para. 10 of the attached telegram. I take it we are agreed that this should be in as non-committal terms as possible and should refer to the continuation of negotiations on the outstanding financial and other points left over from Mr Rodgers's visit to Hong Kong.
4.
Finally, I should like to draw your attention to the wish of the Executive Council to discuss the position on 9 December before any announcement of agreement is made. The Governor has reminded me of the importance of notifying the Executive Council before any news of the agreement breaks. I hope that Mr Rodgers will, on reflection, see the wisdom of this; but I do not think that 0800 hours on Friday 12 December is more than a suggestion from Hong Kong. The Governor believes that any day in the wook beginning 8 December but after Tuesday 9 December might do from his point of view.
Yours ever,
Laurence
PL O'Keeffe
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Dept.
1
SECRET
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