TNAG-0569-FCO40-702-Planning-paper-on-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 9

PRIORITY

CONFIDENTIAL

CYPHER CAT/A

GRPS 220

Go

FM HONG KONG 030345Z

CONFIDENTIAL

TO PRIORITY F C O TELNO 555 OF 3 JUNE

FOR H K I OD FROM FORD.

R

3 0979

Ler

RS

NEW

REF.

NKK 013/540/1

{

YOUR TELNO 418 OF 2 JUNE: COLONIAL SECRETARY'S VISIT.

(5)

54

THE VISITS OF THE COLONIAL SECRETARY AND THE GOVERNOR WITHIN A MONTH ARE LIKELY TO GIVE RISE TO MOUNTING SPECULATION THAT SOMETHING NEW AND UNUSUALLY IMPORTANT IS BEING DISCUSSED.

2. ! AM ANXIOUS THAT THIS SHOULD BE AVOIDED AND BELIEVE THAT THE FORMULA PROPOSED IN MY TELEGRAM NO 551 OF 1 JUNE WILL ACHIEVE THIS OBJECTIVE BETTER.

3. IF WE MAKE THE BRIEF ANNOUNCEMENT WITHOUT ANY UNATTRIBUTABLE GUIDANCE, THIS WILL CERTAINLY GIVE RISE TO CONSIDERABLE SPECULATION

1 AND WE SHALL BE UNDER STRONG PRESSURE TO GIVE FURTHER DETAILS, FEAR THAT THIS WILL BE DIFFICULT TO RESIST AND THAT SOME ELABORATION WILL BE FORCED OUT OF US IN CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH WILL CAUSE MUCH MORE EMBARRASSMENT THAN WHAT IS PROPOSED.

4. BY COINCIDENCE THERE HAS BEEN MUCH SPECULATION IN LOCAL PRESS THIS WEEK ABOUT APPOINTMENTS TO LEGCO. THE PRESS WILL ASSUME THAT THE COLONIAL SECRETARY IS GOING TO DISCUSS THE LEGAL ASPECTS

OF THIS MATTER.

5. THE REFERENCES TO DEFENCE COSTS IS NECESSARY TO EXPLAIN THE VISIT OF THE DEPUTY FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO LONDON IF THIS IS NOTICED. IT WILL NOT RAISE DOUBTS IN ANYONE'S MIND HERE ABOUT THE AGREEMENT ITSELF, AND IT WILL BE ASSUMED RATHER THAT MONITORING OF IMPLEMENTATION BY BOTH GOVERNMENTS IS A CONTINUING PROCESS.

MACLEHOSE

FILE S

IKIOD (4)

MR LARMOUR

FED

MR CORTAZZI

NEWS D

MR MALE

PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS

PS/PUS

CONFIDENTIAL

COPIES TO:

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE

LONDON