TNAG-0569-FCO40-702-Planning-paper-on-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 10

GRS 150

PRIORITY

CYPHER/CAT A

FM FCO 021215Z

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

ふろ

OP CUFI

NEXT

REF.

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG TEL NO 418 OF 2 JUNE.

FOR FORD FROM HKIOD

COLONIAL SECRETARY'S VISIT.

Re REGISTRY .

3 JUN 1976

[2013/5$||

1. SINCE SIR DENYS ROBERTS WILL BE SEEING OTHERS BESIDES MEMBERS OF HKIOD, IT MIGHT AVOID SUBSEQUENT CRITICISM THAT YOUR PROPOSED ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MISLEADING IF THE SECOND SENTENCE WERE TO BE AMENDED TO READ QUOTE SIR DENYS WILL SPEND ABOUT ONE WEEK IN LONDON HOLDING TALKS AT THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE ON MATTERS OF CURRENT INTEREST UNQUOTE,

2. WE ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT YOUR PROPOSED UNATTRIBUTABLE GUIDANCE WHICH, AS SEEN FROM HERE, MIGHT GIVE RISE TO UNJUSTIFIED AND EMBARRASSING SPECULATION. IF YOU CANNOT HOLD THE POSITION ON THE BASIS OF AN ANNOUNCEMENT ALONE AND FEEL IT IS NECESSARY TO MAKE SOME REFERENCE TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AS A SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION, WOULD IT NOT BE BETTER TO LINK IT TO THE FACT THAT THE TERMS OF APPOINTMENT OF CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL ARE TO EXPIRE SHORTLY. (YOUR TELNO 548 IS RELEVANT IN THIS CONNECTION.) ANY MENTION OF THE DEFENCE COSTS AGREEMENT WOULD BE BETTER AVOIDED.

CROSLAND

FILES

HRIOD (4)

FED

NEWS D

PS/LORD GORONNY-ROBERTS

PS/PUS

MR LARMOUR

MR CORTAZZI

MR MALE

COPIES TO

HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE IN LONDON

CONFIDENTIAL