10 October 1991
Martin Howard SEC (0)(C)
Minister of Defence
Main Building Whitehall
LONDON
SW1
Dear Martin,
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HONG KONG PATROL CRAFT: TASKING
1167
Foreign & Commonwealth
Office
London SWIA 2AH
Telephone: 071-
File.
172
1.
Thank you for your letter of 28 August. I am sorry it has taken me sometime to reply.
2. I have now been able to consult colleagues here about CBF's proposal to increase the number of days the patrol craft are at sea in Hong Kong to 365 but to reduce the number of overseas visits to three per year. Like you, we have no particular problems with this proposal. From the Hong Kong point of view, of course, I very much welcome it. And we do not believe that it will cause political problems with the other countries that may have been expecting more frequent visits than they will now receive.
3. In short, we are happy for you to proceed on the basis proposed.
Yors aye,
мля.
M V Stone
cc: Mr Sawyer MP PD
Mr Seaton FED
Miss Stanton SEAD
TICABU
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