TNAG-0694-FCO40-844-Inspection-of-Hong-Kong-Department-1977 — Page 81

IMMEDIATE

CYPHER CAT A

DESKBY 1015002 MAR 77

CONFIDENTIAL Mr. Stewart's

FROM GIBRALTAR 101030Z MAR 77

CONFIDENTIAL

TO IMMEDIATE FCO TEL NO PERSONAL 066 OF 10 MAR 77

MIPT: FOLLOWING IS TEXT

Whillen

Jeeks

copy

QUOTE I FEEL BOUND TO CONFIRM THE VIEWS I EXPRESSED ORALLY THIS

MORNING WHEN YOU INFORMED ME OF THE FORTHCOMING REORGANISATION

OF THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE AS THE MATTER IS OF GREAT

POLITICAL IMPORTANCE.

2. AS IS NO DOUBT APPRECIATED, THE CHANGE, IS SO FAR AS IT AFFECTS GIBRALTAR, COULD BE A CAUSE OF CRITICISM AND SUSPICION AND, IN THE LIGHT OF YOUR ASSURANCE THAT NO POLITICAL SIGNIFICANCE IS TO BE ATTACHED TO IT, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT PARTICULAR CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN IN ITS PUBLIC PRESENTATION HERE.

! AM SURE THAT ANY POSSIBLE ALARM AS WELL AS A POSSIBLE RESURGENCE OF THE IDEA THAT GIBRALTAR SHOULD COME UNDER THE HOME OFFICE WILL BE MINIMISED BY STRESSING:-

Iliair

3.

1. THAT THE CHANGE IS PURELY ADMINISTRATIVE AND ORGANISATIONAL

AND CARRIES NO POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS WHATSOEVER:

2. WITH AS MUCH BACKGROUND AND EXPLANATION AS POSSIBLE,

33

THAT IT IS A SMALL PART OF A GENERAL AND MAJOR REORGANISATION:

AND

3. THAT A PARTICULAR OFFICIAL OR OFFICIALS

S

WILL BE

SPECIFICALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR DEALING WITH GIBRALTAR S AFFAIRS AND THAT THE USEFUL AND HELPFUL PERSONAL CONTACT WHICH HAS EXISTED HITHERTO BETWEEN THE GIBRALTAR DEPARTMENT IN THE FCO AND THE GIBRALTAR GOVERNMENT WILL

THEREFORE BE MAINTAINED.

IT WOULD BE OF ADVANTAGE ALSO IF THE PRESENTATION COULD INCLUDE A REFERENCE TO THE EXPECTATION THAT THE PROCESSING OF MATTERS CONNECTED WITH DEVELOPMENT AID WILL BE CONDUCTED MORE EXPED- ITIOUSLY IN THE FUTURE AS A RESULT OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE

SIMPLIFICATION

AGAIN WITH NO POLITICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF ANY KIND WHEREBY SUCH MATTERS WILL BE DEALT WITH DIRECTLY BETWEEN THE MINISTER OF OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT AND GIBRALTAR. UNQUOTE.

GOVERNOR

FILES

HD GGD HD/HKD HD/SED H DIPP D HD / DTEU PS/ MR JUDD PSIPUS

SIR.A. DUFF

MR KEE BLE MR EDMONDS

MR SUTHERLAND MR STANLEY

:

CONFIDENTIAL