TNAG-0179-FCO40-215-Strength-of-Hong-Kong-Garrison-1970 — Page 87

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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.

10. In the course of his subsequent discussions with the Defence Secretary the Governor made it clear that he was quite

unwilling to contemplate any capital payment by Hong Kong for purchasing the aircraft; and so far as operating costs were concerned, he emphasised the difficulties with which he would

be faced in asking his Executive Council for any additional

defence contribution before 1971. The Defence Secretary then

mentioned that R.A.F. aircraft would be visiting Singapore for training purposes for limited periods each year after 1971 and that he would enquire as to the possibility of occasional visits to Hong Kong forming part of these training detachments. The

Governor indicated that he might, in the last resort, be content

to accept such visits as a substitute for the establishment of a permanent fighter unit in the Colony.

11.

As a result of the above discussions we addressed a letter

to the Governor at the end of August (copy attached) setting out

the extent to which visits could be made to Hong Kong by R.A.F.

aircraft in conjunction with the post-1971 training programme

already planned for the Far East. The letter also gives details

of the types of aircraft which would be involved with provisional estimates of the capital and recurrent costs (both of which would need to be borne by Hong Kong) of providing for and operating such visits. In his reply (copy attached) the Governor has

indicated that subject to the clarification of certain points he

would be prepared to accept the suggested post-1971 training

flight visits as very much a second best alternative to the

stationing of a fighter unit in the Colony.

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Hong Kong Department October, 1969

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