TNAG-0569-FCO40-702-Planning-paper-on-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 131

Flag

B

1-KK LI

Flag(2

Flag

21

HKK 013/548/1

Mr Cortazzi

PS/PUS

1

HONG KONG:

1.

SECRET

Пр Mr O'Keeffe

Thank

THE PLANNING PAPER

yo.

(35)

The Pub mache

Some changes i the draft,

Ja

30/iii

We have now revised the Planning Paper in the light of the points made at the Planning Committee meeting on 11 March; and at Lord Goronwy-Roberts's meeting on 15 March (a summary of which is in Mr Galsworthy's minute to Mr Larmour of 16 March). We have also included the points made in the Governor's Despatch

of 6 March over which there is no divergence of view.

The paper is now preceded by a summary.

2.

As you instructed, we have made a considerable effort to assess more accurately the positive advantages to Britain in the present connection with Hong Kong and have considerably revised paragraph 5 of the paper accordingly. We have at last elicited a reply from the CSO to our frequent enquiries for an assessment of our invisible earnings from the Colony; but this, I fear, only emphasises the conceptual and technical difficulties involved. On balance, our researches point to the conclusion that the positive advantages to us are less than we had hitherto supposed.

3.

I attach a copy of the paper under a covering draft letter to the Governor in reply to his letter of 6 March to the PUS. To this is attached a summary of the points on which there still remains some divergence between the Governor's views and those of the Planning Paper. These are the points on which further discussion with the Governor will be necessary in the run-up to the Secretary of State's visit to Hong Kong, assuming that it

takes place.

4.

I am submitting a copy of the paper for the Secretary of State separately.

SECRET

15.