GR253
PRIORITY
CYPHER/CAT A
FM FCO 171330 Z
SECRET
LAST
Br.
NEY
59
SECRET
UK EYES ALPHA
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG TELNO 128 OF 17 FEBRUARY FOR GOVERNOR FROM STUART. DEFENCE REVIEW.
1. MINISTRY OF DEFENCE HAVE NOW, WITH F.C.O. OFFICIAL SUPPORT, PROPOSED TO MINISTERS THAT A SURVEY OF A £35 M./4 AND TWO THIRDS UNIT FORCE SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT ON THE LINES YOU DISCUSSED. SUBJECT TO MINISTERS' APPROVAL, THEY CONSIDER THAT THIS WOULD BE BEST DONE BY SENDING ANOTHER WORKING PARTY TO HONG KONG FOR DISCUSSIONS WITH BRITISH FORCES HONG KONG AND YOUR OFFICIALS UNDER A HONG KONG CHAIRMAN. THIS WOULD PERMIT NOT ONLY STUDY OF THE MILITARY REQUIREMENTS BUT ALSO OF THE IMPLICATIONS E.G. FOR THE POLICE. THEY ENVISAGE A JOINT REPORT TO C.B.F. AND YOURSELF.
2. M.0.D. TEAM WOULD INCLUDE REPRESENTATIVE FROM DEFENCE POLICY STAFF, THOUGH PROBABLY NOT PEROWNE HIMSELF, AND, AT SOME STAGE, SOMEONE FROM DEFENCE BUDGET DIVISION, PROBABLY JONES. AIM WOULD RE TO REPORT NOT LATER THAN 21 MARCH. WHOLE SURVEY MIGHT TAKE TWO OR THREE WEEKS, BUT C.B.F'S ADVICE IS BEING SOUGHT.
3. I THINK F.C.0. SHOULD BE REPRESENTED, AT LEAST IN CLOSING STAGES. BUT O'KEEFFE, TIMMS AND I WILL BE TOTALLY INVOLVED IN SEYCHELLES CONFERENCE FROM 14-27 MARCH AND DINWIDDY WILL HAVE TO HOLD THE FORT ON HONG KONG. JACKSON, HEAD OF DEFENCE DEPT., 13 WILLING, AND WE COULD BRIEF HIM IF YOU THINK HIS PRESENCE WOULD BE HELPFUL, FROM, SAY 15 MARCH.
4. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR COMMENTS ON ABOVE PROPOSALS. C.B.F. IS BEING BRIEFED SEPARATELY BY M.O.D.
CALLAGHAN
FILES
HKIOD(4)
DEFENCE D
MR MALE
SIR D WATSON MR THOMSON
SECRET
COPIES TO
MR JD BRYARS AUS(GS)MOD CDRE PEROWNE D OF F(C) MOD
MR R JE ABRAHAM
DS6 MOD
?A
છે.
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