IMMEDIATE
CYPHER CAT/A
GRPS 470
FM HONG KONG 156452Z
SECRET
27 10. 51
15 DEC1975
473)
SECRET
DESKBY 150900Z
Aukro
CA
TO IMMEDIATE F C O TELEGRAM NO 1262 OF 15 DECEMBER.
FOR O'KEEFFE. PLEASE PASS TO GOVERNOR FROM ROBERTS. COPY TO
HONG KONG COMMISSIONER LONDON FOR HADDON-CAVE. TELEGRAM NO 956
OF 12 DECEMBER AND NO 957 OF 13 DECEMBER,
DEFENCE COSTS AGREEMENT.
472)
1. I DO NOT THINK THAT MR RODGERS NEED BE UNDULY DISTURBED BY THE
THREE SMALL POINTS MADE BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. MEMBERS HAD
NEVER SEEN THE M O U IN ITS REVISED FORM BEFORE THE MEETING OF
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ON 9 DECEMBER. THE FACT THAT THEY ONLY SOUGHT
TO MAKE THREE SMALL CHANGES INDICATES THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE
NEGOTIATIONS HAD PROVIDED A SATISFACTORY DOCUMENT. I HOPE THEREFORE
THAT THE MINISTER WILL BE ABLE TO ACCEPT THE AMENDMENTS TO THE
PREAMBLE TO THE M O U. THE SUGGESTED CHANGE TO PARA 2 OF THE MOU
IS ONLY A VERBAL ONE WHICH WE PREFER TO BE INCLUDED BUT DO NOT
PRESS FOR. THE ASSURANCE IN PARA 2 OF ANDREW'S TELEGRAM REGARDING
THE INTERPRETATION TO BE PUT ON THE WORDS 'PAYABLE AT THE PREVIOUS
LEVEL' IN PARA 2 OF THE M O U IS SATISFACTORY AND THERE IS NO NEED
TO PURSUE ANY AMENDMENT OF THE M O U.
2. ON THE PRESS RELEASE
A) WE SUGGEST THAT THE SAME PHRASE BE USED AS IN THE PREAMBLE
TO THE MOU 1.E. ''THE AGREED GARRISON WHICH WILL BE
SMALLER THAN IN THE PAST, BUT WHICH WILL BE REINFORCED SHOULD CIRCUMSTANCES SO REQUIRE''
0
(B) WE HOPE THE AMENDMENTS TO PARAS 2 AND 4 PUT FORWARD BY DAVIES
IN THE MEETING WITH ANDREW CAN BE INCORPORATED:
(C) ON RECONSIDERATION WE DO NOT WISH TO PRESS FOR THE DELETION
OF THE PENULTIMATE SENTENCE. IN PARAGRAPH 4 REGARDING COST
OF REPROVISIONING.
SECRET
3. ON TIMING