6
CONFIDENTIAL
(146)
117373
MDHIAN 6561
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 24073OZ FCO
TELNO 2340
OF 240648Z JULY 91
43
HKB 063/
g
PERSONAL FOR PAUL, HKD FROM GOVERNOR
YRTELNO 64 TO UKREP JLG: NAVAL PATROL CRAFT
•
TOP COPY ONIST
Redacted Under FOI Exemption Sec 27(1)
1 I HAD HEARD FROM LORD CAITHNESS' PARTY THAT THE FATE OF THE PATROL CRAFT WAS LIKELY TO BE DECIDED THIS WEEK. BUT I HAVE RECEIVED NO FORMAL WARNING OF THIS. NOR INDEED HAVE I HAD ANY INFORMATION ON THE SUBJECT SINCE MY DISCUSSION WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE ON 26 JUNE, WHEN AS YOU KNOW, HE AGREED TO LOOK INTO WHETHER IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO FIND THE NECESSARY FUNDS FROM SAVINGS IN OTHER AREAS.
2. I VIEW WITH GREAT CONCERN THE PROSPECT THAT A NEGATIVE DECISION MAY BE ANNOUNCED BY WAY OF A WRITTEN PQ ON 25 JULY. THERE ARE TWO SENSITIVE ANGLES TO THIS:
BUT I WILL LEAVE
UKREP JLG AND PEKING TO COMMENT FURTHER ON THIS POINT.
B) IT IS IMPORTANT THAT I SHOULD BRIEF EXCO, AND DISCUSS POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES, BEFORE ANY PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT IS MADE. APART FROM ANYTHING ELSE, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SHOULD PRESUMABLY BE GIVEN THE FORMAL OPTION OF WHETHER IT WOULD BE WILLING TO PAY THE FULL COST OF THE PATROL CRAFT AFTER 1992. I HAVE NOT BROUGHT THEM INTO THE PICTURE HITHERTO, NOT WISHING TO ALARM THEM UNNECESSARILY WHILE TALKS WITH MOD WERE CONTINUING.
3. THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE MATTER WITH EXCO COULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN YESTERDAY WHEN LORD CAITHNESS MET EXCO: BUT, BECAUSE OF THE TELEGRAM SAYING THAT NOTHING SHOULD BE SAID TO GOVERNMENTS ABOUT THE DEFENCE REVIEW UNTIL AFTER CABINET, HE DID NOT SPEAK ABOUT ANY ASPECT OF DEFENCE MATTERS. AFTER HE HAD LEFT EXCO, WE LIMITED OURSELVES TO CBF EXPLAINING THAT THERE WOULD BE A STATEMENT ABOUT THE ARMY, DEALING INTER ALIA WITH GURKHAS, LATER IN THE DAY.
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