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OUTWARD TELEGRAM
FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
(The Secretary of State)
TO HONG KONG (O.A.G.)
50007138)
Cypher
Sent 12 July, 1967. 1920Z
2
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No. 1424
Addressed to 0.A.G. Hong Kong
Repeated IMMEDIATE to PÕLAD Singapore.
Your telegram No. 1016,
Tyrer
We fully approve course of action proposed
in your paragraph” 6.
2.
If, as we very much hope, Tyrer is willing to retire, you might suggest to him that right thing to do, in his own and Hong Kong's interests, is to present this retirement as being for medical reasons.
3.
In the most unfortunate event of his refusing to retire, and it becoming necessary for you to prevent him from performing functions of his office pending proceedings for compulsory retirement, we suggest you could proceed by:-
(a) ordering him to go on leave forthwith under
E.R.1176, preferably on medical grounds;
(b)
or
instructing him to return to U.K. forthwith for discussion of his future with Commonwealth Office.
If you decided to proceed as at (b), you have our authority to state that he is required to return to London on ministerial instructions.
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Should he refuse to leave Hong Kong under either (a) or (b), you could interdict him pending disciplinary proceedings for refusing to obey an order. This should of course be done only as a last resort.
5.
Publicity will obviously require very careful handling, both within and outside Hong Kong, so as not to present any more flank to the Communists than is strictly unavoidable. Please concert with us terms of your announcement. In publicity here we will stress in
background guidance that Eates was in command until mid-June and has complete confidence of the police, government and public in Hong Kong and of Secretary of State.
(Passed to D.S.A.0. for repetition to POLAD Singapore)
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