SECRET
AMPLIFICATION OF GUIDE-LINES FOR UNITED STATES MILITARY
ACTIVITIES IN HONG KONG
Guide-line A
(i) Both sides recognise that it would not be reasonable to apply this general rule so as to prohibit travel through the colony by small groups of persons proceeding to Vietnam on temporary or permanent duty. Both sides agree that the Hong Kong Government would be in the best position to determine what kind of reporting or advance consultation it would require on such travel. Consulate General is therefore being asked to work out a mutually acceptable arrangement with the Hong Kong Government.
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(ii) Troops coming to Hong Kong from Vietnam on R & R should avoid wearing battle dress, for example, camouflage suits.
Guide-line B
(i) Both sides concur that in the future any new or significantly increased use by U.S. forces of Hong Kong's facilities should be discussed in the first instance by the Consulate General with the Hong Kong Government, either through the consultative group described in paragraph (b) of the guide-lines, the Political Advisor to the Hong Kong Government, or some other mutually acceptable channel. The Hong Kong Government is reported to have no objection to the inclusion of CINCPAC and COMUSMACV representatives in the meetings of the consultative group, if this is absolutely necessary, provided the rank of the representatives is not such as to attract undue attention (for example, not above colonel or Navy Captain). The Hong Kong Government believes that the consultative group should, however, be able to dispose the most of the problems by itself or on an ad referendum basis.
(ii) As a general rule the U.S. military aircraft flying to Hong Kong should be transport planes, i.e. C-47s, C-54s, C-118s and C-130s. The consultative group should consider the addition of any other models of military transport aircraft to this list. The Governor of Hong Kong will countenance the arrival of such non-transport aircraft as P2Vs, P3Vs, P3As and P5Ms, but such arrivals should be kept to a minimum (primarily for the transport of VIPs).
Guide-line C
The Governments in London and Hong Kong state that they will keep an open mind on future increases in the Vietnam rest and recreation level, but that such increases would have to be very carefully weighed.
Guide-line D
An increase over the 1964 level of up to 20 per cent would probably not be a problem for Hong Kong, because it would not be too visible. In any event, there was the matter of port congestion in Hong Kong. 12 should be reorded as the upper limit for the number of ships visiting Hong Kong at any one time although there may be special occasions (e.g. Christmas) when a slightly larger number could be accepted. Visits of carriers should not normally exceed one a month.
/Guide-line E
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