TNAG-0308-FCO40-344-Contributions-of-Hong-Kong-for-costs-of-maintaining-military-1971 — Page 145

DIN

PET OR ITY

CYPHER CAT/A

REGISTRY No.51

SECRET

21971

FA HONG KONG 192533.

SECRET

CHILILIO/G

e

28

COP LUPT

TO PRIORITY F.C.0. TELEGRAM NO. 125 OF 19 FEBRUARY

FOR MONSON FROM GOVERNOR.

LABT

ROF

27

•

REF.

30

YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 143: DEFENCE CONTRIBUTION.

AS IT WAS, AS BEST I COULD JUDGE, AN APPROPRIATE MOMENT TO DO SO, I HAVE CONVEYED THE FULL SUBSTANCE OF PARAGRAPH 1 OF YOUR TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE (WITH OBVIOUS OMISSIONS FROM THE EARLIER SENTENCES TO THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, WHO ARE STILL FREPARING THEIR SUBMISSIONS. I INCLUDED THE LAST SENTENCE OF PARA- GRAPH 1, ALTHOUGH IF, AS I PRESUME, IT REFERS TO CAPITAL

1

EXPENDITURE THEN I MUST POINT OUT THAT THE BULK OF THIS

EXPENDITURE CAN ONLY BE REGARDED AS OF REVERSIONARY BENEFIT TO

HỒNG KONG

2.

THE POSITION OTHER WISE APPARENTLY IS THAT THERE IS LITTLE

CR NO CONSENSUS AMONG UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS AS TO HOW TO FRAME THEIR

SUBMISSIONS: OPINIONS RANGING FROM WILLINGNESS TO CONTEMPLATE

THE FIGURE PROPOSED TO THE EXTREME OF UNWILLINGNESS TO PAY AVYTHING. I HAVE OFFERED TO DISCUSS WITH THEM AT ANY TIME, OR HELP IN ANY OTHER WAY I CAN: BUT IN THE MEANWHILE

AND UNTIL THEY APPROACH ME, I THINK IT BEST TO LEAVE THEM ALONE AND LET THEM TALK IT OUT AMONGST THEMSELVES.

3. THE ABOVE IS MERELY TO KEEP YOU POSTED.

4.

YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 147 JUST RECEIVED. 1 HAVE INFORMED

UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE FIRST TWO PARAGRAPHS.

TRENCH

FILES

HKD

FED

DEFENCE DEPT

PS

FS/PUS

SIR L MONSON

SIRS TOMLINSON MR WILFORD

COPIES TO:

MR D J J BRACK TREASURY

MR A F THORPE F1(AIR)

RM 0257 MAIN BLDG MOD

MR RJ SMITH DOE LAMBETH BRIDGE HSE MR P D NATRNE MC

DEP W/S STATE (POLICY &

PROGRAMMES) MOD

SECRET