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Mr Donald
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Hiep ovo!!!..
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
1.
il
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cc: Mr Goulden, PSD
Mrclift, HKGD 24/3
PG 2613 Mr. Mc Quad A
Mr. Willem 24.
24/3
3
(cleared with me
Mr Coles' letter of 15 March from No 10, commenting on the Secretary of State's minute of 9 March, suggests that Sir Murray MacLehose and Sir Edward Youde attend ä discussion of this subject, probably on 12 May. Mr Clift's submission of 1 March mentioned the possibility of such a meeting in its last sentence, and suggested also that Sir P Cradock might attend.
2.
Sir P Cradock is due to return to the UK on leave
in late June. His plans are already far advanced, and he has for example arranged to travel via Singapore and to call on Lee Kuan Yew, who is a personal friend. However I am certain that he would very much wish to attend the 12 May meeting, and I believe that it is most important that he should do so if at all possible. His up-to-date assessment of Chinese reactions, which he is better placed to interpret than either Sir M MacLehose or Sir E Youde, will be crucial in determining tactics on the Hong Kong question in advance of the Prime Minister's visit to China planned for September. Although it will of course be possible for Sir P Cradock to give his view while he is on leave in the UK over the summer, this would in my view be a poor substitute for his presence at a meeting where the retiring and the newly appointed Governor of Hong Kong will be giving their personal views. Sir P Cradock's assessment of tactics in respect of the Hong Kong issue has in the past differed from that of Sir M MacLehose in important respects.
3.
Personnel Services Department (to whom I have
SECRET
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