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LANDING RIGHTS AT HONG KONG FOR FOREIGN AIRCRAFT FOR LANDING
粤
RIGHTS BY BRITISH AIRCRAFT IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. WITHOUT HONG KON
.
AS BARGAINING COUNTER HMG COULD NOT MAINTAIN HER WORLDWIDE
ARE SERVICES CW THEIR PRESENT SCALE. FURTHERMORE HONG KONG
IS DENIED THE FULL BENEFITS WHICH IT SEEKS TO DERIVE
FROM UNRESTRICTED USAGE OF KAI TAK BY FOREIGN AIRCRAFT BECAUSE
OF HG'S RESTRICTIVE POLICY OF GRANTING SUCH LANDING RIGHTS ON A
RECIPROCAL BASIS.
༢༣,
NOTWITHSTANDING THE ADDITIONAL SPECIAL CONTRIBUTION AGREED
TO BY HONG KONG IN 1960 AND WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO HELP BRITAIN
AVOID DEVALUATION, NOT ONLY DID IT IN FACT MAKE NO DIFFERENCE BUT
HONG KONG ITSELF SUFFERED CONSIDERABLE FINANCIAL LOSS WHEN THE
POUND STERLING WAS DEVALUED. THE LOSS TO PUBLIC FUNDS WAS OF THE
ORDER OF THIRTY MILLION POUNDS WHILST THE TOTAL LOSS TO THE
COLONY WAS ABOUT FIFTY MILLION. THIS MUST BE TAKEN INTO
ACCOUNT WHEN ASSESSING HONG KONG'S CONTRIBUTION ON THIS OCCASION.
11. DURING HIS VISIT TO HONG KONG IN JANUARY 1970 MR HEATH,
THE PRESENT PRIME MINISTER, WHEN DISCUSSING THE POLICY
OF WITHDRAWING TROOPS FROM SINGAPORE, STATED, THAT BRITAIN EARNED
SOME 380 MILLION FROM THE FAR EAST AND COULD VELL AFFORD TO
MAINTAIN DEFENCE FORCES IN THIS AREA.
12. ON THE BASIS OF THE FOREGOING THERE IS NO CASE FOR ANY
INCREASE IN HONG KONG'S DEFENCE CONTRIBUTION AND INDEED THERE IS A
STRONG CASE FOR A REDUCTION, SINCE A DELIBERATE CONTRIBUTION TO
THE STABILITY OF THE POUND NO LONGER NEEDS TO BE MADE.
PART 11. PRINCIPLES,
12. THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ARE
UNABLE TO ACCEPT THE GENERAL PRINCIPLE THAT THE COLONY SHOULD PAY
FOR ANY SPECIFIC PROPORTION OF THE COSTS OF KEEPING
TROOPS IN HONG KONG.
14.
NEVERTHELESS THE UNOFFICIALS AGREE THAT A TOKEN CONTRIBUTION
SHOULD BE MADE PROVIDED THE COLONY IS ABLE TO AFFORD IT. THE
PAYMENT SHOULD BE OFFERED VOLUNTARILY WITHOUT REFERENCE TO ANY
thes
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/ SPECIFIC RULES