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Early Unilateral
With-
drawal
solution.
serve any useful purpose since we do not intend to defend Hong Kong
to the bitter end but would aim to do what we could, after a brief
resistance, to effect an orderly transfer of power.
Speaking Notes (Defensive)
10.
To attempt to cut our losses and pull out of Hong Kong now
against Chinese wishes is not a practicable course and, it is
suggested, never will be. We could salvage nothing of our assets
Large numbers of our nationals would be locked in
and interests.
the Colony, to be used as hostages.
In a
Nor could such an abandonment
of our responsibilities be justified to the outside world.
situation in which China was prepared to see us depart, we could
hope to achieve some arrangement enabling an orderly withdrawal.
I do not think it is open to us to look to the possibility of
pulling out until we receive some indication that China is willing
to let us go.
U.N. Assistance 11. Paragraph 66 of the Report somewhat briefly dismisses the in funding a
prospect that the UN might be able to play a part in finding a
solution for Hong Kong. It is certainly the case that now and for
the foreseeable future China would not accept that the UN has any
role to play. Looking to the time when China is a member of the
UN and taking a full part in its affairs, there is the possibility
that the UN might play a part in promoting a Sino-British agreement
over Hong Kong and that its influence might improve our prospects
of reaching a reasonable arrangement.
Submission of Report
12. Since the official study originated in instructions given by
to Defence the Defence and Oversea Policy Committee, it would seem appropriate and Over-
sea Policy that it should be presented to that Committee with such observations Committee
/or reservations
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No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.