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}
the exact timing of the withdrawal
The Chiefs of Staff
have this week recommended to the Defence Secretary that,
because of recent development in Hong Kong, a decision
on timing should be indefinitely postponed. We had
envisaged that before any announcement was made about
this reduction of one major unit, we should give advance
information to the Governments of Australia, New Zealand
and the United States. Since we may now indefinitely
postpone a decision on the timing of this reduction, and
might indeed have to reconsider whether, in the light
of further developments, this reduction should be made at
all, it is suggested that \there is no point in mentioning
it at this stage to the Australians or the New Zealanders.
!་
4. It would probably suffice in the course of these
discussions to give the Australians an assurance that it
is our intention to maintain an adequate garrison in
Hong Kong and, if they query our decision to withdraw
to
the aircraft and the minesweepers, say that we are making
sea and aud
alternative arrangements to provide cover from Singapore Lave
been made
8.6.67.
T
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