COVERING SECRET
Mr Male
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Mr Cortazzi
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HONG KONG: SIR DENYS ROBERTS' VISIT
1. We spoke. I attach a copy of the Governor of Hong Kong's letter of 1 June to Mr O'Keeffe. I have gone through Hong Kong's text and marked the points which are new or redrafts of corresponding points in our Paper, a copy of which I also attach. I have drawn up a guide to the changes and attach a copy of this too.
2. Mr Ford, the Head of Hong Kong Government Information Services, telephoned me this morning to say that Mr Jeaffreson would not now be accompanying Sir Denys Roberts. Mr Ford said that the Governor had decided that since we had not been able to agree to Mr Jeaffreson's visit being "explained away" by reference to the Defence Costs Agreement FCO tel No 424 - his departure with the Colonial Secretary would give rise to an unacceptable degree of speculation. Hong Kong had felt that they could not explain Mr Jeaffreson's visit on the lines of the last sentence of our telegram. Mr Ford said that the possibility of Mr Jeaffre son's following the Colonial Secretary to London early next week would be kept open. A decision on whether he should come would depend upon the press reaction to the news of Sir Denys Roberts' visit.
4 June 1976
A. F. Milla
D F Milton
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Dept
COVERING SECRET
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