TNAG-0182-FCO40-218-Defence-contributions-1969 — Page 36

48/3) Copy of redraft Sent to Hr Moris Hot by special messenger at 1200 has today.

! ANG

3.10.49.

And to P.S. 15

!

Mr. Carter

Reference.......

48.

At (47) is the Ministry of Defence's reply to your letter at (45).

2.

The revised draft enclosed with (47) goes further than did our own draft in indicating HMG's line of approach to the problem of the Hong Kong defence contribution; but this perhaps is no bad thing since the matter is bound to come out during the Governor's visit here in November and the sooner we get to grips with the problem in the course of our preliminary official soundings, the better.

3.

Paragraph 4 of the Ministry of Defence's revised draft requires revision to take account of the separate correspondence that we have had with the Governor on the subject of fighter air- craft. It is interesting to note that the figures given in paragraph 4 of the draft for the costs of R.A.F. training detachment visits do not accord with those sent to us by a separate branch of the Ministry of Defence. The latter figures have in fact been queried by the Governor and I have submitted a separate minute on the subject (on a DPD file dealing with fighter aircraft).

4. It is difficult to follow the argument in the last sentence of paragraph 5 of the revised draft. I should have thought that it asked for a riposte from the Governor to the effect that since Hong Kong's internal security problems derive very largely from the external threat to the Colony, there was a case for maintaining that Hong Kong should bear a much smaller share of the total defence costs.

5. On the basis of the above thinking, I am attaching a suggested redraft of paragraphs 4 to 6 of the Ministry of Defence's draft. The question of timing however presents difficulties. It is important that we should despatch the letter to the Governor to reach him before he leaves Hong Kong to come on leave on 13 October and before Sir Leslie Monson arrives in the Colony. There is a classified bag which closes at 2.00 p.m. on Saturday, 4 October (arriving Hong Kong on Wednesday, 8 October) and another bag on 9 October (arriving Hong Kong on 11 October). The next bag

(11 October) does not arrive in Hong Kong until 15 October.

Mr Gwynn, MOD. 6.

the

5/20169.

There is therefore very little time in which to clear any amendments to the draft with the Ministry of Defence and the Treasury unless this can be done by telephone or discussion.

(A. W. Gaminara)

30 September, 1969

Plse try and clear your proposed amendments

with not.

We will then submit to Sur h. Person.

Lose

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