TNAG-1024-FCO40-1274-Visit-by-Lord-Carrington--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-1981 — Page 38

GR 130

SECRET

FM HONG KONG 080337Z MAR 81

TO PRIORITY F C O

SECRET

TELEGRAM NUMBER 249 OF 8 MARCH

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

37

TOP COPY

HKK 026/2

RECEIVES IN REGISTRY NO. 51

12 MAR 1981

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

3

REGISTRY Action Taken

AWIL

see

FOR MORRICE HONG KONG AND GENERAL DEPARTMENT

FROM POLITICAL ADVISER

26

YOUR LETTER OF 27 FEBRUARY: BRIEFS FOR S OF S ON OFFICIAL REPRESENTATION.

1. TALKING POINTS: NO COMMENTS.

2. BACKGROUND:

(1) PARA 2, LINE 2, AFTER IMPACT ADD 'PARTICULARLY SINCE IT IS

WELL KNOWN THAT HMG HAS RESISTED SUCH A MOVE FOR MANY YEARS''. THEN START NEW SENTENCE AND INSERT AFTER ''MISINTERPRETED’* ''AS A PRELUDE TO MORE FAR REACHING CHANGES''.

(11) PARA 3. NCNA HAVE LONG BEEN UNOFFICIAL CHANNEL. STANDING ETC INCREASED OVER PAST 7-8 YEARS SO THAT, PARTICULARLY OVER PAST 3 YEARS, FIRST DIRECTOR TREATED FOR PRACTICAL PURPOSES AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE.

(111) PARA 3. LAST SENTENCE, AFTER CHANGE INSERT ''UNLESS WE GET SOMETHING OF REAL VALUE IN RETURN EG.''.

3. WHEN YOU HAVE PEKING'S COMMENTS PLEASE SHOW REVISED BRIEF

TO GOVERNOR.

MACLEHOSE

MINIMAL

HK&GD FED

SECRET