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Minutes.
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I spoke to Mr. Aveling on October 15th and made the following suggestions on the draft report:
(1) paragraph 3 to contain a reference to the recommendation of the Chiefs of Staff that Hong Kong
eventually should be demilitarised as part of a general settlement;
(2) a passage to be added to paragraph 5 to the effect that the reduction of Hong Kong would neverthe- less constitute one more task for Japan and might therefore have some importance in delaying the Japanese;
(3) paragraph 7 (a) to be slightly expanded to read in the last phrase "and by shaking the faith of the United States in our determination, might have an unfortunate effect on United States policy in the Far East and might discourage the U.S.A. from taking a firm line against the Japanese";
(4) paragraph 11 to be strengthened and to contain, if possible, a reference to the successful tackling of this A.R. P. problem in Gibraltar, where conditions might be expected to be equally difficult.
Jestindale Bennett.
17th October, 1940.
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