TNAG-2008-FCO40-2856-Basic-Law-constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-relations-1990 — Page 82

SECRET

FM FCO

SECRET

12

174503 MDHOAN 0738

ре

1991

pmalı

91

HKB O 12

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

24 JAN1990

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 64

OF 08170OZ JAN 90

DESK

AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING

INDEX

ICER

TRY

PA

taken

STRICTLY PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM MCLAREN, AUSS (FOR PEKING, STRICTLY PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR)

YOUR TELNO 86 : SIR P CRADOCK'S VISIT TO PEKING

1.

ALTHOUGH THE FACT OF THE CRADOCK MISSION HAS LEAKED, AND HAS BEEN CONFIRMED, NO OTHER DETAILS HAVE EMERGED, EITHER ABOUT THE PRIME MINISTER'S MESSAGE OR ABOUT THE LEVEL OF THE MEETINGS AND THE CONTENTS OF THE DISCUSSIONS. IT IS CLEARLY IN OUR INTERESTS TO KEEP THINGS THAT WAY. (IT IS A PITY THAT NO 10 CHOSE TO DENY THAT SIR P CRADOCK WAS TRAVELLING AS THE PRIME MINISTER'S FOREIGN AFFAIRS ADVISER AND WAS CARRYING A LETTER

FROM HER. THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT CONSULTATION WITH

SIR P CRADOCK.)

/

2. AGAINST THAT BACKGROUND I AM CONCERNED THAT DISTRIBUITON OF THE REPORTING AND OTHER TELEGRAMS TO ALL THOSE YOU MENTION

COULD PRECIPITATE FURTHER AND PERHAPS MORE DAMAGING LEAKS. COULD KNOWLEDGE NOT BE CONFINED TO TWO OR THREE NAMED INDIVIDUALS IN GENERAL DUTIES BRANCH AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

BRANCH? AND DO YOUR CENTRAL POLICY UNIT REALLY NEED TO BE

BROUGHT IN?

HURD

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

NO DISTRIBUTION

HD/HKD

HD/FED

HD/NEWS DEPT

N N N N

7

DISTRIBUTION

PS/MR MAUDE

MR GILLMORE

MR MCLAREN

MISS MAJOR, HKD

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