TNAG-2789-FCO40-4028-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1993 — Page 41

PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL

HICC 000/1

RECEIVED IN POISTRY

KC

болго

MAY 1993

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PS/PUS

Also see (33

From:

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Date:

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12/5

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11 May 1993

Mr Ricketts, HKD Mr Bone, LRD Miss Brooks,

Legal Advisers Mr Walton,

Legal Advisers Mr Fry, FED

SIR PERCY CRADOCK'S MEMOIRS

1.

2.

I agree with what Mr Ricketts proposes.

I too have now read the manuscript, and I agree in general with Mr Ricketts' assessment. I see no problem with the first two parts of the text, dealing with China from 1962-1984. The part on the Hong Kong negotiations of 1982-84 is a detailed account by an insider. It contains much which strictly speaking remains classified information, and also some striking personal insights (eg for example into the attitudes of the then Prime Minister). But the story is already well-known and I do not think it would be profitable at this distance in time to object to anything in the text.

3.

The problematic passage relates to our exchanges in the recent past with China on the airport and (with more to come) on electoral arrangements. The three extracts which Mr Ricketts identifies clearly amount to "disclosures injurious to this country's relations with other nations" as defined by Radcliffe. More broadly there can be no doubt that Sir P Cradock's treatment of issues which remain highly topical and are under continuing negotiation with the Chinese could be injurious to our future handling of these exchanges.

4.

I therefore agree that Sir P Cradock should be urged, although this must be on general political grounds, to omit the entire passage in question or to delay publication of the manuscript.

PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL

40