TNAG-2702-FCO40-3908-Memoirs-of-Sir-Percy-Cradock--diplomat-and-sinologist-1993 — Page 50

RESTRICTED

needs of the colony and this could be seen as a dereliction of duty). Sir J Coles emphasised that such a judgement from a former senior official and a Privy Councillor was very serious and quite unacceptable to the Government. It was also untrue. The needs of the colony had always been uppermost in our minds. We interpreted these needs differently to Sir P Cradock who, by his own admission, believed that compromise had to follow compromise in order to reach agreement. Sir P Cradock undertook to look specifically again at this passage.

6. The meeting ended with Sir P Cradock emphasising once more his view that the position over Hong Kong had become much more serious since the summer, and that his book had to reflect this darker assessment.

Hong Kony Department

FCO

13 December 1993

RESTRICTED