C.R.O.
File No.
Number of
Duplicates
DRAFT LETTER
SECURITY
TOP
MARKING
SECRET
(9
Sir J. Johnston
For Signature by
Sir S. Game
Telephone Extension...
To:
Parly. U.S. of S. Minister of State Secretary of State
Printing
Special Instructions
ง
Denis Allen
Sir Paul Gore Booth,
RCMG., KOVO., CB
Foreign Office.
PRIORITY MARKING
NUMBER OF
ENCLOSURES
Further Action
Copy to Sir
James Dunnett,
KCB., CMG., Min. of Defence.
detenivated to such
a
pourt that our position there seemed hopeless, and it became urgently
(But even then we would
have to consider very carefully whither to admit that we were thinking in temis Af evacuation, because this could
Date of Issue
We have been thinking about the problem
of how to handle a leak, if one should occur,
about evacuation planning for Hong Kong in the
light of the Ministerial decision recorded in
OPD (67) 28th Meeting Item 8, about which Denis
Greenhill has been in touch with Jack Johnston.
2. Much would of course depend on the
circumstances and the appearance of authenticity
of the leak, but it seems prudent to try and
agree a stand-by formula between ourselves and
Ned Dunnett (to whom I am sending a copy of
this letter and enclosure) which we could
either clear with Ministers now, or at least
have ready at short notice in case of emergency.
3. There are trip wires to every possible
formula. Straight confirmation that we were
engaged in evacuation planning would be out of
the question, because of its effect on
confidence in Hong Kong, unless the leak came a time when the situation in Hong Kary had at so far advanced a deteriorating Hong Kong
position that it was necessary to re-assure
public opinion here in relation to expatriates
in Hong Kong. Nor do I think we could get away
with any sort of references to "normal
contingency
(1/63) (E5258) WI 33539-P444 100m 1/63 V.B. Gp 791
dramatically worsen our position & make the actual task of evacuation that much more difficult.)
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.