Church llouse,
TOP SECRET Personal
1st June, 1967.
нив
11/17
When we got back here I wrote a minute to Joe Garner recounting the substance of the talk we had with you and the C. B. F. just before our departure last Thursday. I enclose a copy of this minute, which you may wish either to keep or to destroy, as you think best. But if there is anything in it which you feel is wrongly put, please let
me know.
2. From the minute you will see that Ministers decided last week to set up a small Committee of officials, under Cabinet Office auspices, to consider policy in respect of Hong Kong. I think Ministers had in mind that the Committee should essentially consider
what our policy should be in the longer term; but it seems to us inevitable that the Committee will also have to consider some at any rate of the shorter term issues as well. As soon as the Committee
has been got together and its terms of reference settled, we will let you have more details. We shall also in all probability have to seek information and guidance from you or Michael Gass on several of the things the Committee will be considering.
3. One of the subjects on which our present information is not as extensive as I should like it to be is the position with regard to essential supplies in Hong Kong. You did give us some information on this in paragraph 8 of your Top Secret telegram No. 641 of May 19th, and you said you would be looking further into the details. It would be very helpful to us if you could let us have as soon as possible these further details, which should include the stocks available in the Colony, your normal sources of supply, and your best estimate of alternative sources of supply should Communist
China decide to deny Hong Kong any of the commodities which you normally obtain from China; and also any ideas you may have about the sort of help you might need from H.M.G, (financial and otherwise) if China were to adopt a policy of denying supplies of essential commodities.
Sir David Trench, KCMG., MC., Hong Kong.
TOP SECRET
As
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