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THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
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72 Hong
Kong
Tel 1585 See
00039
12.948
ir. MacDougall telephoned me this morning about a request he had had from hir. kayle asking him to go to a meeting tomorrow on the future of Hong Kong. I have not heard of this meeting but conclude it is that or the F..(0) Committee and therefore send forward the file urgently so that 72 may be seen.
The Governor strongly supports the conclusion in Para 13 of 63 that we should not take the initiative in offering to open discussions with the Chinese and that an early ministerial pronouncement intended to reassure public opinion as to H.M.G.'s intention is celled for.
I have made pencilled amendmenta to the text of 63 in accordance with the suggestions in puras (a) and (b) of the telegram at 72. Ir the meeting is arranged for tomorrow there is hardly time to do more than inform the Foreign Odige or these amendments.
.. mayle by prefer or low to do this by telephone,
by Wish to sue 17.
There is no mention or the Port and Harbour 01 Hong Kong in the paper at 63 and unless adequate safeguards were agreed upon, it seems certain that the operation of the port would be most seriously affected were it decided to surrender the lease or the New Territorios. This consideration, particularly from the defence aspect is mentioned at the top of pa ge 6 of the Governor's view at 14+. I suggest that the control or the harbour might be mentioned as a fuctor to be tuken into consideration in Para o 63.
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73_F.E.(0)(46) 122-
5.12.446
9.12.46.
I have now attached, at No. 73, a copy of the paper as circulated to the members of the F.E.(0) Committee. Mr. MacDougall has been warned to attend the meeting which, of course, takes place at 3.30 to-morrow.
I agree with the first amendment suggested by Miss Ruston. I would word the second somewhat differently and the wording of the third is, of course, in accordance with the Governor's own suggestion.
When Sir George Gater discussed this with me recently, he thought that the paper might, with advantage, be shortened. This could be done by taking the factors governing our policy out of the main paper and making them an annex, and this suggestion might perhaps be made when the paper comes up for consideration by the Committee.
We might also suggest some strengthening of the conclusion in view of paragraph (c) of the Governor's telegram of the 4th December (No.72).
I attach a note, setting out the above amendments and suggestions.
73A. Suggested Amendments & (13)
Original on 25036/2.-136. Extract for Tel 835 for Vorking to F.O.
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10.12.46.
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