TNAG-0686-FCO40-835-Secondment-of-Deputy-Commissioner-of-Police-in-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 4

GRS 215

PRIORITY

CYPHER/CAT A

FM F C O 01185OZ

CONFIDENTIAL

[HKK 382/15

/

132

CONFIDENTIAL

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG TEL NO 932 OF 1 DECEMBER.

PERSONAL FOR ACTING GOVERNOR ONLY FROM STEWART.

YOUR TEL NO 1212 OF 29 NOVEMBER,

9/12 at

See 138

1, I CERTAINLY ENDORE YOUR PROPOSALS TO SAY NOTHING ABOUT HENRY'S

FUTURE FOR AS LONG AS YOU REASONABLY CAN AND IF QUESTIONED ABOUT

IT TO REPLY THERE IS NO PROSPECT OF HENRY BEING REQUIRED IN THE NEAR FUTURE BUT THAT IF HE IS NEEDED IN THE FUTURE THE REQUEST WILL BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES AT THAT TIME.

2. HOWEVER, THE DIFFICULTIES, WHICH I EXPLAINED TO YOU ON THE TELEPHONE, 1.E. THAT AT THIS TIME IT WOULD BE EMBARRASSING IF WE

GAVE ANY INDICATION THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WERE HAVING

SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PLAN TO INSTALL LORD CARVER AS A

COMMISSIONER IN RHODESIA, ARE STILL RELEVANT. FROM OUR POINT OF

VIEW IT IS, THEREFORE, A PITY THAT YOU TOLD EXCO THAT IT WAS NOT

NOW INTENDED TO RELEASE HENRY. IF THEY SHOULD RETURN TO THE

QUESTION I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD ADHERE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO THE LINE IN PARAGRAPH 2(B) OF YOUR TELEGRAM UNDER

REFERENCE.

3. I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL TOO IF YOU WOULD MAKE NO PLANS, REPEAT NO

PLANS, TO ANNOUNCE THAT HENRY WILL NOT BE GOING TO RHODESIA.

4. I HAVE TOLD THE GOVERNOR OF WHAT I PROPOSE TO PUT IN THIS

TELEGRAM AND, HE HAS AGREED THE GIST,

OWEN

FILES

HK & GD (5)

RHOD D

OPA

NEWS ·D

PS

PS/MR ROWLANDS

PS/PUS

MR GRAHAM

MR MANSFIELD MR WEIR

CONFIDENTIAL