7
SECRET
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 2155
OF 131115Z DEC 91
SECRET
HKB 011/12
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM RICKETTS, HKD
CBF ON EXCO
TC.
Q Di
6
My Stone
14
112103
MDHOAN 6587
1 IT IS TIME I LET YOU KNOW WHERE MATTERS STAND ON THIS.
W
2.
ON RECEIPT OF YOUR TELEGRAM NO 3380, WE ARRANGED FOR DAVID GILLMORE TO WRITE TO SIR M QUINLAN IN THE MOD, WITH LORD CAITHNESS' AGREEMENT, PROPOSING THAT THE NEW CBF SHOULD NOT BE ON EXCO. I HAVE SENT PS/GH A COPY BY FAX, TOGETHER WITH A COPY OF THE REPLY WE HAVE JUST RECEIVED FROM THE MOD.
AS YOU WILL SEE, AND NOT UNEXPECTEDLY, MOD TAKE ISSUE WITH THE PROPOSAL AND ASK US TO URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER.
I
4. I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR ANY FURTHER COMMENTS YOU HAVE ON THE POINTS IN THE MOD LETTER. GIVEN THAT THE DEFENCE SECRETARY HAS BEEN CONSULTED, THE NEXT STEP HERE WILL HAVE TO BE A SUBMISSION TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE PROPOSING THAT HE RAISE THIS EITHER ORALLY OR IN WRITING WITH THE DEFENCE SECRETARY. AM SURE THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE WILL WANT IF POSSIBLE TO AVOID OVERRIDING THE DEFENCE SECRETARY AND THAT HE WOULD MUCH PREFER TO PERSUADE HIM, PARTICULARLY SINCE THE MOD HAVE JUST BEEN HELPFUL ON FUNDING RN PATROL CRAFT. WE SHALL THEREFORE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT YOU AND WE HAVE CONSIDERED THE ARGUMENTS AGAIN IN THE LIGHT OF THE QUINLAN LETTER AND THAT CON THE ASSUMPTION THAT THIS IS THE CASE) YOU STILL WISH TO PROCEED WITH THE PROPOSAL.
HURD
YYYY
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