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RESSIVED IN
- No.63
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prev.file.
CONFIDENTIAL
INWARD TELEGRAM
TO THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
(The Secretary of State)
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FROM HONG KONG (Sir D. Trench)
D. 18th February, 1967
R. 18th
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CONFIDENT IAL
No. 219
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Addressed Commonwealth Office.
Repeated Washington No. 45 (Secretary of State
please pass)
RE
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Your telegram No. 1651 of 1966.
United States facilities in Hong Kong
United States Consulate-General have asked
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whether agreement can now be given to raising figure for rest and recreation visitors from Vietnam immediately to 830 men (ten aircraft loads), at any one time; and as soon as possible thereafter, preferably by 1st April, to the proposed final target of twelve aircraft load (996).
2.
We have been looking again into the question of hotel accommodation. 830 United States servicemen here would occupy about 16% of the total available room capacity in Hong Kong; 996 would occupy about 18%. On reconsideration we do not feel that these figures would impose an unacceptable burden.
3.
The programme of visits by air from Vietnam has not been criticised in the local left-wing press for many months. Disciplinary offences on the part of the servicemen involved have been remarkably few. In the circumstances, I feel that there is a good case for meeting the Americans on this relatively uncontroversial part of their rest and recreation programme. Subject to your views, I suggest that we should agree to raise the limit to 830 as from 1st March and to 996 as from 1st May on the understanding that we would be free to review the latter figure if political difficulties arose over rest and recreation in the intervening period.
4.
Grateful for a reply next week, if possible.
(Passed to Diplomatic Service Administration Office for repetition to Washington).
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Major General McNeill. Mr. A. H. Reed.
CONFIDENTIAL