TNAG-0123-FCO40-159-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1971 — Page 111

3

WHITEHALL 5422

Your Ref: HK K 4/1

Our Ref:

C/165/5

Den tak

Ihr Carler

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Copy No. 1 of 3 copies

4-7/

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Storyl

23

all this together

CABINET OFFICE

Eu mw

гови

LONDON S.W.I

312

3rd February 1968

Hong Kong - OPDO (DR) (69) 1

Although most of the suggestions for amendments to this paper have reached you through one channel or another, that dealing with the long-standing argument between

the Treasury and the Ministry of Defence about the defence savings that might accrue from withdrawing from Hong Kong has not, so far as I can see. Correspondence has been going on between Hudson and Nicholls about this and, as a result, there is agreement that the passage on the attached sheet should be added to paragraph 19 of the draft. It is clear from the correspondence that this is not likely to be an end of the matter in that it will be among the points that Ministers will wish to discuss when the paper comes before them, but at least it enables the draft to be

completed.

I imagine that you will not have found much difficulty in dealing with most of the other suggestions that you have received. Those from the Treasury in Steel's letter of 21st January and that from the Ministry of Defence in Sowrey's letter of the same date look all right to us, and the comments in paragraph 2 of Hunter's

minute attached to Thomson's letter of 28th January are very much your business. The remaining paragraphs of that minute look to us less easy, if only because they raise the sort of issues which some members of the Ministerial Committee (or in due

course OPD) may take. Perhaps we could have a word about them soon. If some way can be found of dealing with them, we shall not, I think, need a further meeting at

official level to take the paper again. It can merely be circulated to DRWP as the

final version, taking account of amendments, which is being submitted to Ministers.

eu

Your

Mak

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(H.L. LAWRENCE-WILSON)

J.0. Moreton, Esq.,

Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

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