TNAG-0179-FCO40-215-Strength-of-Hong-Kong-Garrison-1970 — Page 236

No. TSX 1/57

GOVERNMENT HOUSE

HONG KONG.

Original: HKH 10/2

HKIL This Copy far: HKK 26)

Informalen enly/Action ch Para(s)

Dear Bunny

N... Gammara

We shall have to

10

Submit this to higher authoring

back to M.O.D. before Goma

24 April, 1969.

Thank you for your letter of 18th February about the Hunter aircraft. I note that the proposal would be to establish

if the Hunters here in March 1970 and that one effect of this

is that there would it is agreed to proceed with the proposal have to be decision on the meeting of the costs this Spring. In this connection you have mentioned three points

(a)

(b)

(0)

the Chiefs of Staff have reiterated their stipulation that the costs should not be borne by the Defence Budget

apart from the recurrent costs of £335,000 a year, the question arises of a capital payment of £140,000 for the purchase of the aircraft

it is necessary to determine how any payment for the Hunters should relate to the present and post-1971 defence contributions.

The major difficulty we are faced with is the proposal to establish the Hunters here by March 1970. I think when this whole thing first started, the need for fighters based here was not going to arise until March 1971 or so, and it was HMG's decision to hasten the withdrawal from Singapore by a year which has brought forward the date.

3. Be that as it may, in our various discussions here and

which were devoted almost wholly to the possibility of oheapening the cost of

in London on the subject need for fighters and the

W.S.Carter Esq., C.V.O., Hong Kong Department,

-

Foreign and Commonwealth Office, London.

LACT

REF.

LEXT

SECRET

Lose

28/4

RECEIVED IN

REGISTRY M-51 29 MAY 1969

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HKCK 19