TNAG-0022-FCO40-58-Facilities-for-US-Forces-1968 — Page 69

BACKGROUND NOTE

1. Secret

(attached)

2.

Confidential

3.

4.

Confidential

A copy of the Commonwealth Office's background note on the general subject, together with Mr. Whitlock's reply to Mr. Rankin on Wednesday 17th July 1968, is attached; also a copy of Hong Kong telegram No 696.

The Royal Navy's participation in "arrangements for cooperation" are confined to the following:

Commodore, Hong Kong participates in US planning of major warship visits to Hong Kong, and keeps fully in touch with the Defence Liaison Officer at the US Consulate General. He handles the formal requests for diplomatic clearance for major visits (visits of minor vessels do not require specific clearance).

b. The Commodore arranges with the Hong Kong authorities for berths and harbour facilities for the visiting ships.

0. When US ships tie up alongside the naval base, they may obtain water and electricity on repayment. (In January 1967, the Governor of Hong Kong reported that these occasions were rare, but we do not appear to have a more recent report).

d. When nuclear powered warships visit Hong Kong, the Royal Navy recommends and arranges suitable berthage to comply with safety requirements, and supplies a monitoring team (for which the US pay).

No warlike stores are supplied; nor is any fuel (which the US Navy obtains through commercial firms). The naval base does not and cannot offer repair facilities While it would not be entirely true to say that no normal base facilities at all are arranged through RN/USN cooperation, it is certainly the case that what we do give relates solely to the normal rest and recreational type of naval visit; that these are facilities which we would lay on for any visiting warship of a friendly power; and that they cannot reasonably be interpreted as direct support of operations in Vietnam.

The proposed draft reply covers 2a to c, but does not refer to the monitoring teams because:

A.

We do not wish to draw attention to the special problems of nuclear visits.

b.

Even though the US pay for these teams, the service they provide is essentially for the Hong Kong Government (ie to safeguard the civilian population.)