TNAG-0688-FCO40-837-Disturbances-by-police-in-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 12

THEREFORE HAVE TO WORK WITH

IS OBVIOUSLY RIGHT, THOUGH THE LATTER WILL NEED EXCEPTIONALLY CAREFUL SELECTION, AND THE TEAM'S REPORTS WILL BE ON THEIR OWN RESPONSIBILITY.

13. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE EXERCISE, AND POSSIBLY

ALSO BEFORE HIS FIRST RETURN TO THE UK, CRANE WILL BE

REQUIRED TO PRODUCE A REPORT, BUT I AM ANXIOUS THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO COMMITMENT TO PUBLISH, THOUGH IT COULD BE SHOWN TO EXCO AND CONCEIVABLY UMELCO, PROVIDED SECRECY CAN BE MAINTAINED. AS

THIS WILL BE A SUBJECT OF INITIAL PRESS INTEREST, PLEASE CONSIDER HOW IT SHOULD BE HANDLED.

11. WOODS ADVICE WAS THAT THE PACKAGE NOW PROPOSED WAS THE BEST- HE AND MARK COULD THINK OF. BUT IF IT DID NOT WORK OUT,

OR IF PROBLEMS EMERGED, IT COULD BE CHANGED. HE WAS ANXIOUS TO HELP IN ANY WAY HE COULD.

12. I AGREED THAT ON POLICE TO POLICE MATTERS SLEVIN SHOULD FEEL FREE TO TALK DIRECTLY TO WOODS DURING THE STUDY AS THIS CHANNEL MAY MAKE IT EASIER TO SORT OUT ANY MISUNDERSTANDINGS WITH THE TEAM. MATTERS OF POLICY AND PRINCIPLE SHOULD OF COURSE BE FIRST REFERRED. TO ME.

13. I HAVE MARKED THIS TELEGRAM TO YOU ONLY. BUT I SHOULD LIKE COPIES TO BE SHOWN TO CP AND THOSE WHO WILL ATTEND THE MEETING ON 31 DECEMBER, AND PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO ITS CONTENTS MEANWHILE. OBVIOUSLY IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO LEAKAGE.

14. PLEASE TELL CP THAT I HAVE NOT TELEGRAPHED PREVIOUSLY BECAUSE IT WAS ONLY ON 29 DECEMBER THAT FIRM PROPOSALS EMERGED, AND THE POSSIBILITY OF WOODS HAVING A PRELIMINARY DISCUSSION WITH HIM BY TELEPHONE DID NOT ARISE OWING TO HIS ABSENCE IN THAILAND. IN ANY CASE THE PROPOSALS ARE VERY MUCH IN LINE WITH WHAT WE DISCUSSED BEFORE I LEFT. HE MIGHT LIKE TO KNOW THAT

SO SIR ROBERT MARK WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL MARCH/APRIL, IS EXCLUDED AS A POSSIBLE DIRECT PARTICIPANT IN THIS PART OF THE EXERCISE. HOWEVER, I DO NOT THINK HIS IRRUPTION INTO THE SCENE AT THIS STAGE WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL, THOUGH IT MIGHT POSSIBLY BE SO AT A LATER STAGE IN THE YEAR WHEN AND IF THE PROGRAMME OF REFORM HAS BEEN AGREED AND IS BEING IMPLEMENTED. HE IS VERY ANXIOUS TO HELP IN ANY WAY HIS OTHER COMMITMENTS ALLOW.

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