TNAG-0308-FCO40-344-Contributions-of-Hong-Kong-for-costs-of-maintaining-military-1971 — Page 187

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There have been no precedents

its

usi

his original and casting votes.

for such use of the Governor's w te in recent years and for the

Governer_to_de-se, particularly on such an unpopular issue, as

that of the defence contribution, would again risk the resignation

of many, if not all, of the unofficial members of both Executive

and Legislative Councils with the consequent disruption of the glove system of government and a datingt risk of disorders in the

Colony; whose the Governor could expect little or no popular

support on such an issue. The chief benefactors from such a

situation would be the Communists,

Conclusion

15+ We conclude that, on balance, HMG should accept 28.5m a year

for 5 years as a new Hong Kong defence contribution if the

Governor is able to negotiate the successfully with his advisera.

We consider that it would be counter-productive to attempt to

impose a higher figure on Hong Kong: in the long run the

consequences of making such an attempt could well prove costly

to us.

We therefore recommend to Ministers that the Foreign

and Commonwealth Office should tell the Governor that 88.5m

subject to the conditions in paragraph above would be accepted

by HMG. We shall report again to Ministers if the Governor is

unable to obtain his Legislative Council's agreement to this.

4 Zebrney, 1971

Jot

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