CO537-5001 — Page 8

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Mr. Rees-Williams Secretary of State

The issues discussed in Ir. Paskin's. minute, though all inter-related, can be grouped under two main headings. The first is that

of the extent to which the military view should prevail when there is a clash between it and the views of the civil authorities in Hong Kong. The question here was first put in Sir Alexander Grantham's despatch of the 3rd May (flagged 'A'), paragraph 9 of which should be read. The Same issue was touched on in paragraph 10 or the Secretary of State's memorandum (No. 2) to the Ministerial China and South-East Asia Committee but they did not reach any decision upon it and it is now to be considered at a meeting between the Chiefs of Staff

Mr. MacDonald, General Ritchie and Mr. Paskin. A copy of the paper circulated for that purpose is enclosed with No. 8 on this file.

The meeting is to be held on Wednesday and, put briefly, the line which we shall take then is summed up at (A) in Mr. Paskin's minute.

The second major issue brought out by Mr. Paskin's minute is that we need to get a much clearer idea than we have so far been given where the differences of opinion between the military authorities and Sir A. Grantham lie. It will be a great help, as a preparatory stage to Wednesday's meeting with the Chiefs of Staff, if the Secretary of State in his discussion with General Ritchie on Monday afternoon can direct the conversation towards this particular issue and try to establish for us just what kind of measures they are that the military authorities have been anxious to take in Hong Kongin regard to which the Governor has shown resistance.

The establishment of some at least of the facts on this issue is, I think, an essential preliminary to any really helpful discussion with General Ritchie about his plan that Hong Kong should now be brought under a Military Governor.

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