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sufficiently safeguarded with an agreement of indefinite duration with the option of amendment after a given period, say seven years. An agreement on these lines would also be more acceptable to Hong Kong opinion as evidence of our continued commitment to Hong Kong on which the Minister of State for Defence laid stress in the course of his meetings with Unofficials and at his press conference before leaving Hong Kong.
5.
I submit a draft minute to the Prime Minister with which FED and Defence Department concur.
13 November 1975
CC
Mr Cortazzi
Mr Sykes
I aquee
Matte
PL O'Keeffe
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Dept.
that indefinite duration with an
option to
amand
ofcause not
makes good sense.
We would
want to commit ausdes
split if there to indefinitely if realetić chance
Ста
75:25
thee
a
move in
the
of persuading Hong Kong &
Кая
near future.
to pay
is no
such chance.
I judge there
But aicumstances meçir
тыя
in which event
we could
Exercise
the
change i
option.
l
a que
In
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