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ভাই
GPS 359
"""IMMEDIATE
CYPHER/CAT A
FM FCO 071636Z
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TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TELNO 945 OF 7 DECEMBER 1975.
FOR ROBERTS FROM HADDON-CAVE.
YOUR TELEGRAM NO 1239 OF 6 DECEMBER: DEFENCE COSTS
1. THE AGREED INTERPRETATION OF PARAGRAPH 2 OF MOU IS THAT IF, WHEN THE CONTRIBUTION FOR THE QUARTER ENDING 31 MARCH 1978 IS CALCULATED, IT IS CLEAR THAT KAI-TAK WILL NOT BE RELEASED BY
31 MARCH 1978 IN CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE UK GOVERNMENT, THEN THE CONTRIBUTION FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1978 WILL BE AT 50% AND WILL REMAIN AS SUCH UNTIL THE LAND IS RELEASED.
THERE WILL BE NO REFUND,
2. THE PREVIOUS AGREEMENT WAS NOT, IN FACT, PUBLISHED. (THE TEXT WAS NOT AGREED UNTIL 1972 AND WAS STILL HEADED DRAFT IN 1973). ON THE OTHER HAND THE PRINCIPLES ON WHICH IT WAS BASED WERE MADE
PUBLIC.
3.
WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE UK GOVERNMENT DOES NOT WISH TO PUBLISH THE MOU AND WOULD PREFER HONG KONG NOT TO. THERE IS, HOWEVER, NO OBJECTION TO A VERY FULL STATEMENT OF THE PRINCIPLES BEING PUBLISHED IN HONG KONG, THOUGH A SIMILAR STATEMENT WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED IN UK. IF THE MEDIA ASK WHY THE MOU IS NOT BEING PUBLISHED, THE ANSWER SHOULD BE THAT IT IS NOT NORMAL UK PRACTICE TO PUBLISH
TEXTS OF AGREEMENTS OF THIS SORT,
4. WE HAVE NOT YET AGREED THE JOINT STATEMENT BUT WILL ENDEAVOUR TO DO SO WITH MOD BY NOON LONDON TIME ON 8 DECEMBER. WE WILL TELE- GRAPH IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER. WE WILL ALSO TELEGRAPH GOVERNOR'S COMMENTS, THOUGH WE HAVE NOT YET CONSULTED SIR MURRAY.
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