Registry TNB 10/9.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
Top Secret.
Secret.
Confidential.
Restricted.
Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
Copy to:
In Confidence
General McNeill
Defence Dept.
Commonwealth
Mr. Denson, F.o.
Flag C
DRAFT
To:-
TOP SECRET
LETTER
Type 1 +
From
The Rt. Hon. Denis Healey Be Lord Shepherd
Minister
See
verwood
HBE M.P
Telephone No. & Ext.
Department
The question whether fighter aircraft Once again should be permanently stationed in Hong Kong has, I believe, recently arisen in connection with the forthcoming study of the long-term policy for the defence of the Colony. understand that the Air Force Department have been asked to examine this matter, having regard to Commonwealth Office views.
I
The Governor of Hong Kong feels strongly on this subject (and his views are, I believe, shared by the Commander, British Forces, Hong Kong) and he raised it with me during my visit to the Colony last October. He subsequently set out his case in his Saving Despatch No. 709 of 27 December, 1967, which
has since been circulated to the Chiefs of
Staff.
I am, of course, aware that it would be difficult to sustain, on purely military grounds, a strong case for the maintenance of a permanent fighter presence in Hong Kong./ But the arguments for such a presence are, in fact, political. They have been very clearly set out by the Governor in his Saving Despatch
and I should like to expand a little on what is, in my view, the fundamental factor which is
common to them all, namely the vital need to
maintain the confidence of the people of Hong Kong in Her Majesty's Government's will and
determination to safeguard their interests.
There was a number of ministerial statements
in Parliament during 1967 which were occasioned
by the disturbances in the Colony. These statements proclaimed and reiterated
Her Majesty's Government's complete support for the people of Hong Kong; gave clear
assurances of our determination to fulfil our
responsibilities to them and to maintain our
/position
W(B)L 51-74 33
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