48
CHER CAT A
SECRET
-TOP COPY
IMMEDIATE
HONG KONG
TO F.C.0.
TELEGRAM NUMBER 744
26 OCTOBER 1970
SECRET 2608952
ADDRESSED TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE, LONDON TELEGRAM NUMBER 744 OF 26 CCTOBER 1970
YOUR TELEGRAM 715: HONG KONG GARRISON.
(42 (629
IF SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION GIVEN GOES AS FAR AS (A) (B)
IN YOUR TELEGRAM I AM AFRAID WE SHALL BE PRESSED LOCALLY TO GO
FURTHER.
2. IT IS WELL KNOWN HERE THROUGH MINISTERIAL AND OTHER AUTHORITATIVE STATEMENTS THAT UNDER INTENTIONS SO FAR ANNOUNCED THERE IS TO BE ONE ADDITIONAL MAJOR UNIT FROM ABOUT THE END OF 1971. ANY STATEMENT ON THE LINES OF YOUR (B) IS BOUND TO PROVOKE THE FURTHER QUESTION WHAT ARE THE ''CERTAIN MODIFICATIONS''
3. I THINK WE SHOULD BE PREPARED TO SAY PLAINLY THAT IN THE LIGHT OF THE SITUATION HERE AND ELSEWHERE IT IS NO LONGER CONSIDERED NECESSARY TO MAKE THIS ADJUSTMENT, WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY DECIDED UPON IN DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES.
4. ONCE THE WHITE PAPER COMES OUT WE MAY WELL HAVE TO MAKE AN EARLY ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE ABANDONMENT OF THE ERSKINE BARRACKS BUILDING PROJECT. IF SO I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO LINK THE TWO MATTERS. THE ABANDONMENT WILL IN ANY CASE BE REPRESENTED AS A YIELDING TO PRESSURE BY THE VILLAGERS AND THIS MAY HAVE AWKWARD "LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES.
SIR H. NORMAN-WALKER
FILES
'HONG KONG DEPT.
DEFENCE DEPT.
F.E.D.
NEWS DEPT.
SIR L. MONSON
SIR S. TOMLINSON MR. WILFORD
MOD INTERNAL
NNNNN
AE #VID IN
REGISTRY NO 5
I
SECRET
COPY TO:
MR. C.E. JOHNSON, D.S.6., M.O.D.
HKKIO/1
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