SECRET
8.
JIDUN
TURNING NOW TO PARAS 13 TO 15 OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS' MEMORANDUM,
HMG MUST POINT CUT THAT NO SUGGESTION HAS BEEN MADE THAT THE COLONY
SHOULD PAY FOR ANY SPECIFIC PROPORTION OF THE COSTS OF KEEPING
TROOPS IN HONG KONG. WHATEVER FIGURE MAY BE AGREED MUST INEVIT- ABLY BE BASED ON SOME ASSESSMENT OF THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT, EACH FOR THEIR OWN PARTICULAR REASONS, BY BOTH HONG KONG AND HMG: BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN SUGGESTED THAT A FORMULA ON WHICH TO BASE THE AMOUNT
NEED NECESSARILY BE AGREED UPON BETWEEN THEM ALSO.
9.
•
THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS' ASSURANCE THAT A CONTRIBUTION SHOULD
BE MADE IS WELCOMED, AND IT IS AGREED THAT THE AMOUNT SHOULD BE ONE
THE COLONY CAN AFFORD. HMG'S CONTENTION IS HOWEVER THAT THE
COLONY, EVEN HAVING REGARD TO OTHER FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS AND THE POTENTIAL DANGERS TO THE ECONOMY WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT DEVELOP, CAN AFFORD AN INCREASED CONTRIBUTIONAND SHOULD ENDEAVOUR TO DO
SO HAVING REGARD TO THE BENEFITS WHICH IS AFFORDED BY THE PRESENCE
OF THE GARRISON.
10. HMG ARE, FURTHERMORE, VERY READY TO AGREE.....(AND CONTINUE AS IN THE LAST SENTENCE OF PARA. 12 OF YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 253).
11. IF THERE ARE ANY FURTHER POINTS ON WHICH CLARIFICATION IS
DESIRED AN ENDEAVOUR WILL DE MADE TO ANSWER THEM?'
ENDS.
TRENCH
FILES:
HKD
FED
DEFENCE DEFT
PPAD
ATD
CCD
PS
PS TO FUS
SIR L. MONSON
SIR S. TOMLINSON MR. WILFORD
MR. ROSE
3
SECRET
COPIES TO:
MR.D.J.J. BRACK, HM TREASURY MR.A.F. THORPE, F1 (AIR)2, MOD
MR.R.J. SMITH, DOE, LAMBETH BDGE HOUSE
MR.P.D. NAIKNE, MOD
MR.R. GEDLING, IN TREASURY
MR. E. STRETTON, DOE, LAMBETH BDGE
MR.F.H. GWYNN, MOD
HOUSE