TNAG-0614-FCO40-762-Visit-by-delegation-from-Heung-Yee-Kuk-(Rural-Consultive-Cou-1977 — Page 77

GR 250

IMMEDIATE

CYPHER CAT A

FM FCO 271742Z

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

28 APRI

11-11030/711-

CAT

28

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TELNO 306 OF 27/4/77 YOUR TELNOS 407 AND 414: HEUNG YEE KUK

REF.

40

30

ARTICLE

1. THE FIRST PARAGRAPH OF THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST'

REPORTED IN YOUR TELNO 414 IS A TRAVESTY OF WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THE

KUK DELEGATION CALLED ON LORD GOROWY-ROBERTS ON 25 APRIL. THE

MINISTER DID NOT SUGGEST ''DIRECT AND REGULAR CONTACTS IN FUTURE'

OR OFFER ''DIRECT ACCESS.... AT ANY TIME. HE SIMPLY GAVE THE

DELEGATION A WARM WELCOME, USING WORDS SUCH AS HE WAS ALWAYS GLAD TO SEE VISITORS FROM HONG KONG'. STEWART SUBSEQUENTLY STRESSED THIS TO JAMES MARGACH, THE SCMP STRINGER HERE.

2. WE CAN ONLY SUPPOSE THAT MARGACH FILED HIS STORY BEFORE

SEEING STEWART, OR THAT MR PARRY, WHO IS WELL KNOWN TO MARGACH, PUT HIM OR THE KUK UP TO IT.

3. THE MEETING WITH LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS WENT WELL AND THE

DELEGATION SEEMED WELL PLEASED WITH IT. THEY PRESENTED THE FINAL VERSION OF THE PETITION REFERRED TO IN YOUR TELNO 407 ALONG WITH A WRITTEN LEGAL OPINION AND THE MINISTER UNDERTOOK TO STUDY THESE

DOCUMENTS CAREFULLY AND TO WRITE TO CHEUNG IN DUE COURSE.

4. MR PARRY WAS PRESENT AT THE MEETING BUT, AFTER HE HAD MADE A FEW OPENING REMARKS, CHEUNG DID THE TALKING.

5. FULL RECORD OF MEETING FOLLOWS BY BAG. WE SHALL BE CONSULTING

YOU ABOUT THE KUK'S PETITION.

OWEN

FILES

HRG D

FED

NEWS D

PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS

MR CORTA ZZI

MR MURRAY

CONFIDENTIAL

COPIES

MR KIDD HRG OFFICE