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COMMENTED THAT THESE STATEMENTS WERE OF CONSIDERABLE VALUE, BUT GAVE HONG KONG NO NEGOTIATING LEVERAGE.
4. THERE WERE PROTAGONISTS OF BOTH A 4 PLUS AND 5 PLUS UNIT GARRISON BUT NO ONE SUGGESTED ANYTHING LESS. IT WAS RECOGNISED
THAT A 4 PLUS GARRISON WOULD NEED AN ASSURANCE ABOUT REINFORCE-
MENT. I THINK THAT THEY WILL ACCEPT WHATEVER OFFICIAL ADVICE
IS ON FORCE LEVEL.
5. THERE SEEMED TO BE GENERAL AGREEMENT THAT IF HONG KONG HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN A FRIGATE AND PATROL CRAFT THE FORMER WAS TO
BE PREFERRED IN PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES.
6. THE REQUIREMENT FOR HELICOPTERS WAS NOT DISPUTED.
7. PREDICTABLY THERE WAS A GENERAL ATTACK ON STANDARDS, SUPPORT COSTS AND OCCUPATION OF LAND. CLEARLY THEY WILL NEED TO BE SATISFIED ON THESE POINTS BEFORE VOTING A HIGHER CONTRIBUTION. INDEED RELEASE OF LAND MAY PROVE THE KEY TO THE POLITICAL SIDE
OF THIS PROBLEM.
8. THERE WAS CRITICISM OF THE OPEN-ENDED CHARACTER OF AN AGREE-
MENT WHICH INCLUDED AN INFLATOR OR WAS BASED ON A PROPORTION OF TOTAL COST, AND SOME ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO LAY DOWN CEILINGS E.G. A PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL BUDGET. IN THE LIGHT OF THIS PART OF
THE DISCUSSION MY ESTIMATE OF £17M AS WHAT THE TRAFFIC WILL BEAR
STILL LOOKS RIGHT.
9. ONE OR TWO SPOKE UP ROBUSTLY TO THE EFFECT THAT HONG KONG SHOULD PAY FOR WHATEVER IS NECESSARY, SUBJECT ONLY TO PARA 7 ABOVE, AND TO H.M.G. MAKING THE BEST CONTRIBUTION THEY COULD. BUT THE LATTER WAS NOT DEFINED, AND THEY GOT NO SUPPORT.
10. THERE WAS ONE REFERENCE TO CONTINUING THE PROVISION FOR REVIEW IN CASE OF A DOWN-TURN IN HONG KONG'S ECONOMY, MY QUERY AS TO WHETHER THE SAME SHOULD APPLY TO THE U.K, 'S ECONOMY WAS
POORLY RECEIVED.
11. THE GROUND HAD BEEN FAIRLY WELL PREPARED AND SIR Y.K. KAN GAVE A HELPFUL LEAD. I MADE NO ATTEMPT TO DO MORE THAN LET EVERYONE HAVE THEIR SAY AND CHOP OFF A FEW UNHELPFUL LEADS, THERE
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