TNAG-0635-FCO40-783-Supplies-of-electricity-for-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 141

CODE 18 - 17

NOTE FOR THE FILE

CONFIDENTIAL

REGE IN

Rrence.1.

- 6 APR 977

FIKK 164/1

HONG KONG: GENERATING EQUIPMENT FOR THE CHIA LIGHT & POWER CO

1.

Mr Cortazzi's note on Mr Murray's copy of Mr Wright's letter of 31 March to Mr Varley's Private Secretary refers.

(27)

2. I have consulted Mr Finch in the DOI about Mr Cortazzi's observation that Mr Wright's letter be copied to the Governor of Hong Kong. The DOI, who are taking the lead in connection with the approach made by Sir Lawrence Kadoorie, have so far conducted the correspondence with Hong Kong (apart from the PUS's reply to the Governor's original telegram). Mr Finch pointed out that Sir Peter Carey's message to the Governor in FCO telegram No 247 of 1 April said that the DOI's proposal that a joint Whitehall/industry group should be set up had been endorsed by the Prime Minister at his meeting with Sir Lawrence Kadoorie on 31 March. He did not think therefore that there was much point in copying Mr Wright's letter to the Governor. So far as the DOI are concerned, the next and more important step is to set up the proposed group and Mr Finch told me that there will be a meeting at Under-Secretary level in the DOI on 6 April to consider who should be on the group. Once this was done and other preliminary steps had been taken, Mr Finch envisaged that Sir Peter Carey would be in touch again with the Governor (paragraph 5 of FCO telegram No 247 refers).

3. I think that we should leave it to the DOI to follow up Sir Lawrence Kadoorie's approach and to decide what more needs to be said to the Governor. I would prefer that we did not establish a separate FCO channel of communication with the Governor and in the light of what Mr Finch told me I do not, subject to Mr Cortazzi's views, propose to copy Mr Wright's letter to the Governor. I will take the opportunity to mention this to Mr Cortazzi.

5 April 1977

D.F. Milton

D F Milton Hong Kong Dept

K 247 233 4381

CONFIDENTIAL