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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HER BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT
JFD (67) 61
25th July 1967
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CABINET
DEFENCE AND OVER EA FOLICY COMMITTEE
HONG KONG
Note by the Secretary of State for
Commonwealth ffairs
..t their meeting on 24th July, the Ministerial Committee on
Hong Kong considered the attached interim report by an interdepart-
mental Working Party of officials on the prospects for withdrawal
from Hong Kong.
2. The Ministerial Committee accepted the proposals in paragraphs
20 and 21 of the report that plans should now be prepared as a
matter of urgency against the possibility that an emergency
evacuation of the Colony might become necessary. It is proposed
that a plan for evacuation would be produced by a small team
assembled within the Commonwealth Office, and that the Treasury would
prepare a plan to safeguard Hong Kong's considerable financial
assets.
If confidence is not to be undermined in Hong Kong,
it is essential that there should be no suspicion that we are
even considering the possibility of having to withdraw from the
Colony; knowledge of the preparation of these plans must therefore
be kept to the smallest possible circle within Whitehall and should not become known to the Hong Kong Government.
3. Officials are also preparing a wide-ranging study of the long-
term prospects for Hong Kong as the basis for future policy.
The Foreign Office are also preparing for the Hong Kong Committee
The Committee intends to act a paper on our relations with China.
as a forum for keeping under review the situation in Hong Kong as
it develops.
Commonwealth Office, 3.17.1.
25th July, 1967.
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