TNAG-1473-FCO40-2004-Visits-by-MPs-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 150

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

GRS 250

CONFIDENTIAL

TOP COPY

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 24110OZ FCO

TELNO 570

OF 241OOOZ FEBRUARY 86

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

PERSONAL FOR GALSWORTHY FROM GOVERNOR

YOUR TELSNOS 353-4 : ROBERT ADLEY

HKK02718

STAY

2 7 FEB 1986

PA

1. THE WORDING THAT YOU REFER TO IN PARA 3 OF FIRST TUR WAS DESIGNED TO BE METICULOUSLY ACCURATE. GIVEN THE WIDE SOCIAL CONTACTS WHICH EXIST BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR, MNCLUDING THE PRESS IN HONG KONG, IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO STATE CATEGORICALLY THAT NO HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL SPOKE TO ANN QUON ABOUT ADLEY'S VISIT BEFORE 2 FEBRUARY. BUT YOU MAY CEPTAINLY TAKE IT THAT AFTER SPEAKING TO THOSE WHO MIGHT BE MOST LIKELY TO HAVE DONE SO AM NOT AWARE OF ANY SUCH CONVERSATION OR BRIEFING HAVING TAKEN PLACE. ↑ HAVE ALREADY SAID THIS IN PARA 3 OF MY TELNO 560.

2.

- DO NOT THINK IT WOULD BE WISE TO MAKE THE POINT IN THE LAST SENTENCE OF PARA 5 OF YOUR TUR IN MY REPLY TO ADLEY. THIS COULD WELL ENCOURAGE HIM TO REVIVE THE CONTROVERSY OVER HIS 1983 VISIT.

I AM GRATEFUL TO MR RENTON FOR SEEING ADLEY, THOUGH I HOLD OUT NO REAL HOPES THAT THIS WILL SUCCEED IN CONVINCING HIM THAT NO

VENDETTA EXISTS.

3. I AM CONTENT WITH THE TEXT OF THE PROPOSED REPLY FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE, EXCEPT FOR ONE POINT. THERE IS A DANGER THAT ADLEY MIGHT REACT TO THE LAST FEW WORDS OF PARA 5 IN THE SAME WAY THAT YOU DID. THEREFORE SUGGEST THAT THE LAST SENTENCE OF THE PARAGRAPH SHOULD END AT THE WORDS OFFICIAL BRIEFING'', TO BE FOLLOWED BY THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE : ''ON THE CONTRARY, IT ATTRIBUTES THE SUGGESTION THAT YOU SHOULD NOT MAKE THE TRIP TO

UNNAMED FRIENDS' OF YOURS.''

7

4. MIFT CONTAINS A DRAFT REPLY TO ADLEY'S LETTER TO ME. IF YOU ARE CONTENT, WE WILL CLEAR THE RELEVANT PARTS WITH BA LOCALLY.

YOUDE

LIMITED

HD/HKD-

PS

PS/MR.RENTON ps// PUS MR. WILSON

CONFIDENTIAL

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