1
IMMEDIATE
SECRET
DARY 140038Z
CYPHER/CAT A
FM FCC 131653Z DEC
SECRET
DESKBY 140038 Z
Con
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No. 26
REGISTRY
15 DEC 1975
13/393/1 کرو)
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TELNO 957 OF 13/12/75.
FOLLOWING FOR ACTING GOVERNOR FROM COVERNOR.
16C1975
KK/0/
101.
บาง
1. FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF MESSAGE RECEIVED BY ME FROM MINISTER OF
STATE, MINISTRY OF DEFENCE.
BEGINS.
58
1 THANK YOU FOR YOUR LETTER OF 8 DECEMBER WHICH HAS BEEN CIRCULATED
FOR INFORMATION TO THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE OTHER MINISTERS
CONCERNED.
IT IS CERTAINLY UNFORTUNATE THAT, WITH OUR NEGOTIATIONS CONCLUDED ON A BASIS SATISFACTORY TO BOTH SIDES, WE SHOULD BE UNAPLE TO ANNOUNCE THE AGREEMENT BECAUSE OF YOUR CONCERN ABOUT
THE FORTUITOUS COINCIDENCE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF IMPORT RESTRICTIONS,
I RECOGNISE, OF COURSE, THAT IF THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE DEFENCE
COSTS AGREEMENT WERE TO BE FOLLOWED CLOSELY BY THE IMPOSITION
OF SOME FORM OF IMPORT PESTRICTION, IT WOULD AGGRAVATE YOUR
PRESENTATIONAL DIFFICULTIES IN HONG KONG,
3. IN THE LIGHT OF THIS NEW PROBLEM I AGREE RELUCTANTLY ON
MONDAY THAT WE SHOULD NOT GO AHEAD WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE
DEFENCE COSTS AGREEMENT QUOTE ON OR ABOUT 8 DECEMBER UNQUOTE
AS WE HAD AGREED. ON THE OTHER HAND, WE CANNOT WAIT INDEFINITELY,
FURTHER DELAY COULD ITSELF PUT AT RISK THE TERMS WHICH WE HAVE
AGREED. I WAS DISTURBED TO LEARN THAT, CONTRARY TO YOUR EXPECT- ATIONS, THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HAD ASKED FOR CHANGES IN THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING. PERHAPS MORE IMPORTANT, THE
RELEASE OF LAND AT KAI TAK AND VICTORIA BARRACKS, TO WHICH THE FINANCIAL PROVISIONS OF THE AGREEMENT ARE CLOSELY LINKED, WILL
NOT BE PRACTICABLE WITHIN THE TINSESCALE ENVISAGED UNLESS THE
DECISION TO GO AHEAD IS GIVEN BY 1 JANUARY 1976.
4. I AM SURE, THEREFORE, THAT WE MUST ANNOUNCE THE AGREEMENT
SECRET›
/BEFORE