TNAG-0789-FCO40-993-Development-of-social-policy-in-Hong-Kong-proposed-contribut-1978 — Page 155

CONFIDENTIAL

RECORD OF A CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS AND THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG

HELD AT THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE ON TUESDAY,

25 APRIL 1978 AT 10.30. AT

Present:

Lord Goronwy-Roberts

of Caernarvon & of Ogwen

Mr D F Murray

Mr H Hurst

Mr J A B Stewart

Mr A Smith

Mr W E Quantrill

Mr J L Jones

Mr C R V Stagg

•

Sir Murray MacLehose GBE KCMG

KCVO

Mr D C Bray CMG CVO

Mr E P Ho

1 Lord Goronwy-Roberts raised the subject of the Royal Hong Kong Police Force (RHKPF) and asked for a report on the present situation.

2. Sir Murray MacLehose told the Minister that he had been seriously worried by the events of last November which had revealed a contradiction between the operational efficiency of the Force on the one hand, and their unreliability, caused by their hostility to ICAC, on the other. Once the immediate crisis had been weathered, the Hong

Kong Government followed 2 lines of action:

a.

They invited a team of 3 Home Office experts to visit the Colony to examine the administration of the RHKPF and recommend ways of improving the internal structure of the Force;

b. They removed the cloud hanging over the Force by tackling the 200 or so corruption cases not covered by the amnesty:

above

all they have, with the valuable assistance of the FCO, dealt with the corruption syndicates centred on the Yau Ma Tei Fruit

Market.

:

1

CONFIDENTIAL

/3.