NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
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Annex B to Note No. 6
VISIT OF DEPUTY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE
(SIR LESLIE MONSON)
TO HONG KONG, OCTOBER, 1969
DEFENCE: FIGHTER AIRCRAFT
5-11
Paragraphs 6-12 set out the background
to the Governor's proposal that a R.A.F. Hunter
fighter unit should be stationed in Hong Kong as
part of the Colony's future garrison. The
Governor's letter of 15 September (copy
attached) now indicates that the financial
considerations involved have compelled him to
abandon this idea and (subject to the clarifica-
tion of certain points) to settle very
reluctantly for the alternative of occasional
visits to the Colony by R.A.F. aircraft engaged
in training detachments to the Far East in the
post-1971 era. The matters on which the
Governor is seeking clarification have been
taken up with the Ministry of Defence.
2. This department's view is that, if the
Governor feels able to say (however reluctantly)
that he is satisfied air cover can be provided
at an acceptable level by training flights, we
shall have to recommend acceptance of that view.
On the one hand we see no prospect whatsoever
of obtaining additional U.K. funds, from the
Defence budget or other sources, for a permanent
fighter presence nor any scope for compensating
cuts in the rest of the garrison; and on the
other hand the Governor is quite categoric in
saying (and in our view he is right) that he
could not obtain Hong Kong funds at any time for
the capital cost of the aircraft or for the
running costs during the currency of the present
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