FO371-41657 — Page 65

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(F 5341/1505/10)

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FOREIGN OFFICE, 8.W.1.

17th January, 1945.

48

W

My dear Francfort,

In a conversation at the end of last month you asked if I could let you have copies of recent declarations by members of the Government about Hong Kong.

I enclose an extract from Hansard of the 8th November last, giving the text of a Parliamentary question and answer (with supplementaries) on the subject. As you will see, the question was addressed to the Prime Minister but answered by Mr. Attlee,

I also enclose a statement by the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Colonel Stanley, in Parliament on the 6th June last, together with an extract from the speech by Mr. Astor of the same date, to which Colonel Stanley was referring.

Mr. Attlee, like Colonel Stanley, had in mind the passage in the Prime Minister's speech at the Mansion House on the 10th November, 1942, when he declared he would not "preside over the liquidation "of the British Empire". A copy of the relevant passage is also enclosed.

Yours very sincerely,

· Monsieur Pierre Francfort,

French #mbassy,

3, Carlton Gardens,

3.W.1.

Sgd J. C. Sterndale Bennett.

(J.C. Sterndale Bennett)

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