PERSONAL
Yello
4.
CONFIDENTIAL
• 2
Yes!
I am sorry for this rather Byzantine tale, but as I think you will have gathered, my aim is to avoid a public row with Unger on the lines of why has "fascist" Hong Kong blocked a socialist research project for the good of mankind. With the Ungers' Easey and parliamentary contacts, I am sure you would prefer to avoid such a confrontation too. I was a bit miffed, but knowing how these things work, not surprised by the O D M leak. If Unger tries to make out, quoting me, that the Hong Kong Government is really in favour of the project, I think you can take it as so much eyewash. Basically, we would prefer not to have the Ungers here and there is no doubt that the Revolutionary Marxists are a minor embarrassment to our relations with the NCNA. But we don't want by blocking the project directly to make the problem worse. As we see it, the difficulty lies not in the Ungers' wanting to research in Hong Kong (I don't think anyone here would try to boot them out in 1977-8 anymore than we did in 1974-6 even after Anita's conviction), but in their request for British Government assistance. And that, I am afraid, is your problem.
5.
Obviously I would prefer you not to reveal paras 2 and 3 above to the OD M at this stage, but if you want for tactical reasons to do so later, I would not object.
In haste for bang,
You
an eur
ever, Chales
(C D S Drace-Francis)
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