TNAG-0606-FCO40-754-Monitoring-progress-made-on-planning-papers-on-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 106

Mr Murray o.r.

PLANNING PAPER

CONFIDENTIAL

Mr Dutty

Mu. David th

I suggest that fue disco with th. Frewart at the H.K. Locion urechip

Formorrow, 20 April.

1. During my recent visit to Hong Kong I was several times plu reproached gently about the operations of the Monitoring Committee on the Planning Paper. Although my interlocutors

19/4 were grateful that we were making available to them a frank account of thinking in the FCO about Hong Kong affairs, they felt that the Committee was tending to go well outside its terms of reference and to consider not only progress of the Planning Paper's proposals, but also other irrelevant matters, e.g. staff matters and, in particular, the Kent case. They felt too, and I was grateful for their frankness, that there was a bit too much nit-picking by the Committee.

2. I propose to discuss this in my Department and with the OLA and Senior Economic Adviser, to whom I am copying this minute, and, if you agree, I shall come to you later in April with proposals.

5 April 1977

CC:

Mr Hurst

Mr Smith (SEA) Mr Milton

Mr David

m. Steport

D.F. Milton

pp JA B Stewart

Hong Kong Department

witter/Farcasideration

welove the next meeting

Chave we fixed acute yet?

some force in this

I think there

is

but

prepared

t

defend

mit. picking

demonstrating the interest

certain amount of

whitehall in

what is happening in Hong Kong. But not too much! We

can hope that the Kent

<

cause will not be repeated, and

Ondudsman discussion with the Covariar suggests that

it weit.

But I look forward to

CONFIDENTIAL

your proposals.

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