TNAG-0179-FCO40-215-Strength-of-Hong-Kong-Garrison-1970 — Page 103

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

W(B)L 51-7406

SECRET

FlagB.

Pava 3 4 15

Flag C

24

8.8, on the other hand the Governor made it clear

that any requirement that Hong Kong should pay

for the capital cost of the aircraft would so

affront public opinion in the Colony, and more

particularly the opinion of the unofficial

members of his Executive and Legislative

Councils, that it would almost certainly lead

to the abandonment of the whole project. The

Governor would also see serious difficulties in

meeting the recurrent costs of the scheme if

this were to involve any increase in Hong Kong's

defence contribution during the currency of the

existing agreement between the Hong Kong

Government and Her Majesty's Government, which

expires in 1971. In the words of the Governor

"unless the fighters can be provided wholly free

in the first instance and within the present

contribution for the first year, I am afraid we

shall have to forego them. If this can be done

then there is some hope thereafter of "burying"

them in the new negotiations" (for the renewal

of the defence contribution agreement). 9.4. Lord Shepherd discussed the matter with the

Governor when he visited Hong Kong at the

beginning of June. At the request of the

Minister, the Ministry of Defence agreed to

let the matter rest until after the Defence

Secretary had visited the Colony later that

month. Lord Shepherd had advocated a solution

(acceptable to the Governor) whereby no charge

would be raised against Hong Kong for the

capital cost of the aircraft, and recurrent

costs for the year 1970/71 would be borne

elsewhere in the first instance but would be

taken into account in the negotiations for the

Hong Kong post-1971 defence contribution.

SECRET

/10. ...