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Sir S. Tomlinson
TOP SECRET
Joy 101x1
ст конд CAS NO 4 of 8 destrongt
I attach hereto the draft of a paper for possible circulation by the Secretary of State to the Ministerial Committee on Hong Kong. Some of the recipients of this minute will already be aware from earlier minutes which we have exchanged that I have certain doubts about some aspects of the paper K69)1, which the Secretary of State has already circulated. I do not, however, wish to stimulate full-scale re-writing of that paper, even if it were possible or agreeable to all those concerned in its preparation.
The long term future of Hong Kong must in any case be a matter for regular re-consideration and this will provide the opportunity for any changes in K(69)1 which may be generally deemed necessary.
2.
What I have sought to do in the attached paper is to set out a situation primarily affecting the Chinese Government which, I believe, cannot be ignored in contingency planning, and on which any guidance which we can obtain from Ministers would be most useful. I hope also by producing this shorter paper to focus attention on the points to which Ministers should address them- selves generally, as I fear that it is optimistic to assume that all members of the Committee will have time to read in detail a paper running to forty-five pages.
3. Subject to your agreement I think that we should now have a meeting of those directly concerned in the F.C.O. (of whom the list is the same as the distribution of this minute, with the exception of the two Private Secretaries mentioned, unless they should wish to attend) to see if my proposals are generally endorsed. Subject to such endorsement I should then speak to Mr. Hudson in the Cabinet Office, who looks after the Ministerial Committee, to enquire if he agrees to our proceeding as proposed, with a separate paper by the Secretary of State. Provided he agrees this and does not demand that the Secretary of State's paper should be cleared through the official Defence Review group of officials, we would submit it to the Secretary of State for approval and ask for the fixing of an early meeting of the Committee to take the two papers. K(69)1, although circulated in March, has never been taken in the Committee. As regards the date of a meeting we should, of course, wish to ensure that it was at a time when both the Secretary of State and Lord Shepherd are available.
Copies to: Sir L. Monson
Mr. Cradock
Mr. J. Murray
Mr. Carter Mr. Godden Mr. Baker
Kun hilf
(KM. Wilford)
November, 1969.
The Invernor's forthcoming talks will
give
abond it. . TOP SECRET
Mr.
talk to him