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Minor have At 4418
Samartedir. Madl.cod
2418
*
Mr. Carrer
Smmarberd
2578
21
Evacuation planning for Hong Kong is a very sensitive subject. If it became known in the Colony that we were planning to withdraw from it, there would be an immediate and catastrophic loss of public confidence; this, in turn, would produce a serious internal security situation which might make our position in the Colony untenable.
2. Ministers fully realised this danger, both in the Hong Kong Ministerial Committee and in O.P.D., when recently they considered the question of evacuation plans. Ministers then authorised officials to conduct a special study of the possibility of preparing such plans, with special reference to the security considerations involved and to the limitations that these would impose on the making of effective plans.
This study is in progress.
3.
Meanwhile, we are considering with the Foreign Office and the Ministry of Defence the line we would take if any leakage should happen to occur about evacuation planning for Hong Kong. I think the Minister should see the letter and enclosure flagged "A" to which we await replies (although we already know that the Ministry of Defence take the view that, if we are directly challenged about the existence of such plans, we must deny that we have any). A public denial of the existence
of evacuation plans might, of course, involve political
embarrassment in this country. Accordingly, when we have
received departmental views, this question will clearly have
to be submitted to Ministers.
4.
Meanwhile, it is most important that we say nothing
publicly that could be construed either as an admission or
denial that plans for the evacuation of Hong Kong exist. This is why the draft reply to Mr. Hall's letter on HWB.1/18 is so "cagey". If it satisfies Mr. Hall and his constituent
so much the better. If, as seems more likely, it leads him
to return to the charge, we shall clearly have to think again
but by then we may have the Ministers' views on the matter
mentioned in paragraph 3 above to guide us.
L. 5. Carte
(W.S. Carter)
24.8.67.
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