TNAG-1757-FCO40-2481-Future-of-Hong-Kong-membership-of-the-Sino-British-Joint-Lia-1989 — Page 20

CODE 18-77

HKC031/2

CONFIDENTIAL

File (358

CE281n

Mr Larcombe, COD

Joept)

Mr Furlong, Security Dept)

) separate copies

REQUEST FOR WORD PROCESSOR FOR COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE, HONG KONG

1. I have been following the exchange of teleletters between Mr Larcombe and Mr Webb in Hong Kong, in which my name has been invok ed.

2. The key argu ment in all of this is that the draft telegrams which the Communications Officers in Hong Kong have to process manually are almost invariably produced on word processors in other parts of the Hong Kong Government, principally the General Duties Branch. (These constitute the bulk of Hong Kong's telegrams to the FCO, already running at nearly 4500 this year, and quite likely to reach 5000 or more).

3. Given that the drafts are originated on word processors, there would be no additional security risk in acceding to this request. Indeed, it would seem most illogical to object to the request on these grounds. Moreover, the amount of work saved would be phenomenal, as Mr Webb has made clear. He has also pointed out that the Communications Office is a far more secure site than General Duties Branch. I can confirm this from my own experience of working in Hong Kong for three years.

In conclusion, I firmly support Mr Webb's request, and hope that it can be given the most favourable consideration.

4.

RESTRICTED

CT WOOD

Hong Kong Department WH303

270 2655