劈
IMMEDIATE
CYPHER/CAT A
FM HONG KONG 190515Z
RECED IN
REGISTRYN 51 T
19 AUG 1971
HKIL 10/9
SECRET
186
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 579 OF 19 AUGUST.
YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER 592.
DEFENCE CONTRIBUTION.
LABT
REF.
134
(142)
NEXT
REF.
THE FORMAL POSITION IS THAT EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HAS NOT AGAIN BEEN CONSULTED SINCE FEBRUARY (WHEN CONSIDERATION OF MEMORANDUM XCS(71)3 WAS DEFERRED) PENDING, FIRST, MINISTERS' DECISION AND, LATER, THE CLARIFICATION REQUESTED IN MY TELNO 528: BUT A MEMORANDUM PUTTING MINISTERS' VIEWS TO COUNCIL IS NOW IN PREPARATION AND, ALLOWING TIME FOR MEMBERS TO STUDY IT, SHOULD BE READY FOR CONSIDERATION BY COUNCIL AT ITS MEETING ON 31 AUGUST.
2. MEMBERS HAVE, HOWEVER, ASKED ME INFORMALLY ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS WHAT NEWS I HAD FOR THEM ON THIS SUBJECT, IN REPLY, I TOLD THEM I HAD CONVEYED THEIR LATEST VIEWS AS EXPRESSED TO ME INFORMALLY BEFORE I LEFT FOR LONDON IN JUNE TO YOU, AND THAT I WAS AWAITING THE OUTCOME OF MINISTERIAL CONSIDERATION. AFTER THE MEETING OF COUNCIL ON 10 AUGUST, WHEN THE MATTER WAS RAISED INFORMALLY AGAIN, I SAID I HAD RECENTLY RECEIVED A TELEGRAM (YOUR NUMBER 553) ON THE SUBJECT, BUT WAS ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION OF CERTAIN POINTS. A GENERAL DISCUSSION ENSUED, WHOSE TONE I REPORTED IN MY TELNO 549. TO HAVE PRESSED YOUR VIEWS FURTHER AT THIS POINT, PARTICULARLY WITHOUT A PAPER IN FRONT OF US, WOULD HAVE MEANT A NEGATIVE REACTION FOR CERTAIN: AND I REFRAINED FROM DOING MORE THAT PROBE THEIR FEELINGS AND WARN THEM THAT THEIR VIEWS WERE UNLIKELY TO BE ACCEPTABLE.
3. THE PAPER FOR EXECUTIVE COUNCIL NOW BEING PREPARED WILL CONVEY MINISTERS' WISHES AND REHEARSE THE ARGUMENTS ON WHICH THEY ARE BASED. IT WILL CONCLUDE BY ASKING COUNCIL TO ADVISE THAT, SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, THE FUNDS NOW REQUIRED OF HONG KONG BE MADE AVAILABLE TO H.M.G. (DISTRIBUTED IN ONE OR OTHER OF THE POSSIBLE MANNERS YOU HAVE SUGGESTED) PROVIDED THE CONTRIBUTION AMOUNTS IN AVERAGE TO POUNDS STERLING 8 M.P.A. OVER 5 YEARS (AND SUBJECT TO THE VARIOUS CONDITIONS IN THIS CORRESPONDENCE). 1
SECRET
/WILL DO