مکانات وعملك
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
Registry No.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
Top Secret,
Secret.
**Confidential.
Restricted, Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
In Confidence
SECRET
ง
DRAFT
To:-
Secretary of State
Type 1 +
FROM
Lord Goronwy-Roberts
Telephone No. Ext.
Department
DEFENCE REVIEW: HONG KONG
1.
I have been sent a side copy of the department's submission (attached) of the proposed statement about Hong Kong and the Defence Review.
I understand that the Cabinet have not taken a final decision, but that you have some doubts about the department's recommendation.
2.
This is, in fact, a matter of tactics. The Governor of course accepts our aims, and is concerned. merely about how to carry them through successfully in Hong Kong. I understand his worry. He has a difficult task of presentation in Hong Kong, and also a wider duty of preventing, if he can, a head-on clash between Hong Kong and HMG.
3.
Pondering on the draft texts proposed by officials, it seems to me that our political require- ment is to show that there will be a reduction in the burden of the Hong Kong garrison on HMG; while the Governor's fear is the likely repercussions in Hong Kong of a formal public statement at this stage that they will have to put up a bigger sum for smaller forces (i.e. "more for less").
I wonder whether a compromise which might meet the essential needs of both sides, would be for Ministers to leave the Cabinet Office draft, with its reference to a reduction of forces, largely as it is, but to insert the words "an appropriate contribution" instead of "a larger percentage" in the penultimate line.
15.
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