TNAG-1143-FCO40-1423-Hong-Kong-and-the-Falkland-Islands-crisis-1982 — Page 14

115

IOP COPY

RESTRICTED

HITI

020/2

GR 160

RESTRICTED

114

FM HONG KONG 0431432 NOV 32

TO PRIORITY FOO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1263 OF 4 NOVEMBER

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

YOUR TELNO 912 OF 20 OCTOBER.

HONG KONG AND THE SOUTH ATLANTIC FUND: OPEN LETTER TO EXCO AND

LEGCO.

1. EXCO AND LEGCO HAVE NOT RECEIVED THIS LETTER. THE ISSUE IS NOT NOW A LIVE ONE IN HONG KONG. MORE PRESSING PUBLIC CONCERNS

HAVE REPLACED IT.

43

кум ратали

2. OUR PUBLIC POSITION ON THE CONTRIBUTION WAS AND REMAINS AS

SET OUT IN OUR TELEGRAM 707 OF 2 JULY. IN ANY REPLY TO CHAN

WE WOULD PREFER TO PLAY, DOWN THE POINT THAT THE CONTRIBUTION

WAS PROPOSED BY UNOFFICIALS (ON WHICH WE ARE SLIGHTY VULNERABLE

CONSTITUTIONALLY) AND PLAY UP ITS INTENDED USE TO MEET THE FUND'S LONG TERM NEEDS, INCLUDING BENEFITS TO HONG KONG CHINESE

PERSONNEL AND THEIR DEPENDANTS.

3. CHAN'S LETTER IS APPARENTLY MEANT TO BE AS CONTENTIOUS AND

DISAGREEABLE AS POSSIBLE AND DOES NOT SEEM TO JUSTIFY A DETAILED

REPLY. WE DO NOT KNOW HIS BACKGROUND OR MOTIVES. BUT THINK

COMMISSIONER LONDON MAY HAVE SOME INFORMATION.

YOUDE

MINIMAL HK1ds D FLD

COPIES TO:

HONG KONG GOUT: OFFICE,

LONDON,

RESTRICTED