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4 At the meeting of the Defence and Overseas Policy Committee referred to in paragraph 1 above, we received strong support from the Foreign Office (as it then was) on the apportionment of the costs both of the Garrison generally and specifically of the fighter unit. The latter was the subject of a letter sent by the Foreign Secretary to the Minister of Defence in May 1968.
3.It will be seen that in the last paragraph of his letter the Governor is enquiring whether it would be advisable for him to discuss the whole question of the fighter unit, with particular reference to the costs involved, during Lord Shepherd's forth- coming visit to Hong Kong. An early decision is therefore required on the tactics to be employed in this matter since if it is decided that it would be advantageous for the Governor to discuss the matter with the Minister, then the latter will need to be suitably briefed. I have my doubts whether it would at this stage be profitable to submit the question to Ministers: but the Ministry of Defence have said that a decision will have to be taken on the costs of the detachment by the Spring of this year in order to allow F.E.A.F. time to select the aircraft for Hong Kong and to get the necessary servicing and refurbish-
ing carried out.
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(A. W. Gaminara)
30 April, 1969