CONFIDENTIAL
GPS 250
PRIORITY
CYPHERCATA
FM HONG KONG 1608157
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No. 50
TO PRIORITY F C O TELEGRAM NUMBER 594 OF 16 JUNE.
FROM GOVERNOR FOR O'KEEFFE.
MY TWO IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING TELEGRAMS :
DEFENCE COSTS AGREEMENT.
184
TAST
183)
• (182)
(187)
ALF.
WHEN YOU HAVE HAD TIME TO DIGEST THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE
CHANGES WE SUGGEST, WHICH ARE NOT REALLY VERY LARGE, WOULD YOU
PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHETHER YOU THINK IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO REACH
AGREEMENT BY EXCHANGE OF TELEGRAMS, OR WHETHER A MEETING OF
OFFICIALS WILL BE NECESSARY. NEEDLESS TO SAY WE WOULD MUCH PREFER THE FORMER, BUT WE MUST GET THIS TEXT DISPOSED OF BEFORE THE
SUMMER HOLIDAYS.
2. WE RESERVE OUR COMMENTS ON THE CURRENCY OF PAYMENT UNTIL WE
HAVE SEEN YOUR PROPOSALS FOR THE CONTENTS OF PARA 2 OF THE DRAFT
AGREEMENT.
3. COULD YOU GIVE ME SOME IDEA OF WHEN YOU WILL BE SUBMITTING TO
MINISTERS? I HAD ENVISAGED OFFICIALS WOULD AGREE A TEXT WHILE THE CHIEFS OF STAFF WERE MAKING UP THEIR MINDS ABOUT FORCE LEVELS,
AND THAT OFFICIALS' PROPOSALS WOULD THEN BE SENT TO ME WHICH I COULD
TRY OUT ON U MELCO, AND THAT THEREAFTER A SUBMISSION COULD BE MADE TO MINISTERS WHICH WOULD EMBODY MY RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE '
LIGHT OF THE UMELCO DISCUSSION. HOWEVER I NOW HEAR, PERHAPS INCORRECTLY, THAT THE IDEA. IS TO PUT THE VIEWS OF THE CHIEFS TO MINISTERS WHO WILL THEN DIRECT THAT A COMMUNICATION SHOULD BE MADE TO ME. WOULD NOT THE PROCEDURE
MACLEHOSE
FILES
AKIOD (4)
DEF D
MR WILFORD
SIR D. WATSON
MR MALE
>
SUGGEST BE PREFERABLE?
1
COPIES
TO
MR ANDREWS MR ABRAHAM,
MR THORPE, MR HANSFORD
MR AGGLETON
CONFIDENTIAL
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DSL. MOD
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