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4.
towards our remaining Dependent Territories,
although we propose to make some economies in
the forces in Hong Kong and to seek from the
Hong Kong Government a larger contribution to
their cost when the present cost-sharing
agreement runs out in 1976."
We have consulted Sir Murray MacLehose about the
impact that the second version might have at his end.
His advice is that, while it is accepted by the official
side of the Hong Kong Government as an accurate statement
of HMG's objective, it could easily provoke public debate
in Hong Kong with a hardening of opposition on the
proposition "We won't pay more money for less garrison".
5. The Governor is quietly working towards agreement
between Officials about a level of garrison and contribution
which would be acceptable to HMG and which Executive Council
could be brought to accept. This process is a preliminary
to making the proposal public and putting it to Legislative
Council (whose Finance Committee, which has an unofficial
majority, votes the funds). The Governor had envisaged the
latter definitive process taking place in about May (ie. after
the Budget and, incidentally, after The Queen's visit).
His advice is that it is an emotive issue, which should not
become a matter of public debate before he is sure that he
has Executive Council's support for a specific proposition.
He fears that the second proposed statement would have this
/undesirable
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