TNAG-0179-FCO40-215-Strength-of-Hong-Kong-Garrison-1970 — Page 110

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Reference... DP 4/393/1

DPD.4/393/1.

Ditto

Mr. Carter

(40

At we have now received the Governor's reply to your letter to him at (16) about fighter aircraft for Hong Kong. The original of (is with DPD and will be placed on this file when the latter is returned to them. It appears from (1740) that the Governor has virtually decided to abandon his idea of having a Hunter unit stationed in the Colony.

2.

40

The views expressed in paragraph 3 of (17) are, I suggest, correct provided that the costs in question relate only to works required for MOD purposes (e.g. routine transport movements) and not to any additional works required in connection with the proposed training detachment visits. I thought that this point had been made clear in paragraph 4 of (16) (38)

3. Paragraph 4 of (contains information which has not previously been available to us. This information is not altogether on all fours with that in paragraph 9 of the Air Force Department note enclosed with (10). This is a point which will have to be clarified with the Ministry of Defence.

4.

(40)

The query in paragraph 5 of 7 is justifiable. The figure of £5000 was first mentioned by the Ministry of Defence in paragraph 5 of the draft letter enclosed with (14): it was reiterated in (15). But this figure does not accord with those given in paragraphs 13 and 17c of the Air Force Department note referred to above. The latter figures are more in line with those mentioned by the Governor. Moreover, they are also in line with the figures given to us in the enclosure to the recent letter from another branch of the Ministry of Defence in connection with Hong Kong's defence contribution.

(40)

5. Paragraph 6 of 7) merely reiterates the point raised in paragraph 5 of our letter at (16) we have not yet heard from the Ministry of Defence on this subject.

6. I attach a draft letter to the Ministry of Defence (for Mr. Sykes' signature) seeking clari- fication of the points raised by the Governor.

7. Lord Shepherd is not aware that the idea of R.A.F. training detachment visits has been put forward as an alternative solution to the problem of providing fighter cover for Hong Kong. When the Minister visited Hong Kong in June and discussed the subject of fighter aircraft with the Governor, the proposal had not been mooted. It was first mentioned to the Governor by Mr. Healey when the latter visited the Colony at the end of June.

8. We discussed this aspect and agreed that the Minister should be informed of the proposal and of the Governor's reaction to it. The only time when this can be done will be during the period 10 October to 20 October when Lord Shepherd will be in the Office.

/9.