TNAG-0056-FCO40-92-Evacuation-plan-1967 — Page 155

P.U...S. has not seen

TOP SECRET

Sin A. Gatimerthy

MR. Carter (23

Foreign Office

S.W.1

19

MA

20 AUG 1967

30 August, 1967

Dear Joe

Thank you for your letter of 18 August about the problem of handling a leak about evacuation planning for Hong Kong. This is indeed an awkward problem and as you rightly say much depends on the character and circumstances of the leak or press questioning.

2. After a good deal of further thought, we wonder whether your draft note to press officers (and particularly paragraph 2(ii)) would not open the question up too much and eventually lead on to to our spokesman having to make a positive and false denial. Would you care to consider whether it might not be better to take refuge in a much greater reticence as follows:-

3.

(i)

(ii)

The Government have made their position on Hong Kong quite clear

as in your 2(i);

The situation in China and Hong Kong is such that it would be most

undesirable to make any comment at this time.

Having said that on the record, one could say unattributably to the trusties:

(i) Whilst there is a slight chance of

Chinese military action against Hong Kong, it would be folly to have public discussion of our plans;

(ii)

It is quite unrealistic to speak of evacuation in the circumstances of

Hong Kong....(as in your paragraph 2(iii).

4. / I

Sir Saville Garner, G.C.M.G.,

Commonwealth Office,

London, S.W.1.

TOP SECRET