TNAG-1834-FCO40-2608-Sensitivity-review-of-Hong-Kong-Government-records-1988 — Page 78

DSR 11 (Revised)

DRAFT:

FROM:

SECRET

minute/letter/teleletter/despatch/note

TYPE: Draft/Fina

19

Reference

Miss Patricia M Barnes

DEPARTMENT:

TEL. NO:

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION]

TO:

Don Brech Esq

Top Secret

Secret

Confidential

Government Records Co-ordinator Government Secretariat

Lower Albert Road

HONG KONG

Restricted

Unclassified

Your Reference

Copies to:

In Footman HKD

PRIVACY MARKING

CAVEAT...

.In Confidence

SUBJECT:

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT RECORDS

1. It will, I am sure, not surprise you to learn that

I have been expecting a letter along the lines of yours

of 16 March for some time. It raises questions which

will engage us, and probably our successors, until your

exercise is completed.

2.

Let me say at once that it is not going to be

possible to cross check every single item. We do not

attempt to do this with governments such as Australia

or the USA with whom we share many records and more

information. The arrangements we have are directed

towards items that fall outside established guidelines,

or other material which raises doubts in the mind of its

custodians whether or not it should be released.

Enclosures-flag(s)..

3. If we apply this general principle to your

particular problems, our decisions to release or

withhold taken independently will be based on the

revised guidelines to which we are both working.

would expect to consult, or be consulted, only on

/borderline

We

SECRET