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Note No. 6
(18)
VISIT OF MINISTER OF STATE
LORD SHEPHERD
TO HONG KONG, MAY/JUNE 1969
Matters
Defence and Internal Security
The Minister may wish to raise the matter of helicopters with the Governor (paragraphs ale.. below) and mention the
doubts of the Chiefs of Staff about the operational need for
the additional machines. It would be helpful if the Minister
could at the same time secure the Governor's confirmation that
he does in fact support the proposed increase in the strength
of the Whirlwinds despite the additional cost involved - a
factor which will inevitably need to be taken into account
when the time comes to negotiate a new Defence Contribution
Agreement with Hong Kong.
2.
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General
Tahi
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Background
PRO DOCUMENT PUT IN PLACE
24 NOV 2009
*
3. Hong Kong could not be defended against a determined
ninese attack
ere are no plans for the reinforcement of Hong Kong against
external aggression and the external role of the garrison is
to offer such resistance as may be appropriate in the circum-
stances at the time. Although there is no agreement with the
United States about coming to the defence of Hong Kong, the US
Government have been given an assurance that it is our intention
to resist aggression. Local opinion, while probably under no
illusion about the ability of the present garrison to resist
for long regards the existence of British troops deployed to
PRO DOCUMENT
gard
Unpices an assurance of our intention to defend
the Color24 NOV 2009
NOV 2009robably assumed locally that in any general
SECTION 5(1) OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN CLOSED UNDER THIS IS A COPY
ACT 1958 UNTIL
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