TNAG-0308-FCO40-344-Contributions-of-Hong-Kong-for-costs-of-maintaining-military-1971 — Page 54

SECRET

TRIORITY

CYPHER CAT/A

FM HONG KONG 1434302

RECEIVED IN

REGISTRY No. 51

1 APR 1971

SECRET

JAICKIO

L

1.

TOP COPY

(57)

TO PRIORITY F.C.0. TELEGRAM NUMBER 253 OF 14 APRIL 1971.

(56)

LAST

MY TELEGRAM NO. 249 TO YOU. DEFENCE CONTRIBUTION! REE.

D F

FOLLOWING IS THE OUTLINE OF A SUGGESTED FORM OF REPLY TO UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS, REFERRED TTO IN PARA. 5 OF MY TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE,

BEGINS:-

6

9

1. HMG REGRETS THAT THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS FEEL THAT THEIR FIRST MEMORANDUM HAS NOT BEEN FULLY ANSWERED, BUT HOPE THAT THIS MESSAGE WILL CLEAR UP THE MAJOR REMAINING POINTS AND ENABLE THEM TO CONVEY THEIR VIEWS ON THE APPROPRIATE SIZE OF THE DEFENCE

CONTRIBUTION.

ALTHOUGH HMG HAVE COME TO A CONSIDERED OPINION

ON THIS MATTER, IT IS STILL NEVERTHELESS DESIRED TO ASCERTAIN VIEWS

IN HONG KONG ON IT ALSO.

2.

(THIS PARA. MIGHT FOLLOW PARAS. 7 AND G OF YOUR TELEGRAM (H4) нн

NO. 235. WHILE I HAVE NOW CONVEYED PARAGRAPH 3 OF YOUR TELEGRAM K57 NO. 266 TO THEM, WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS TO BE ABLE TO SHEW THAT THE

POLICY REFERRED TO IN PARA, 4 OF YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 296 IS A CONSIST- ENT ONE, AND NOT ONE WHICH IS APPLIED TO DEPENDANT TERRITORIES ALONE SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS ENFORCEABLE AGAINST THEM).

45)

3. IT IS AGREED THAT THE 1966 CONTRIBUTION WAS FORMALLY REGARDED AS A BASIC CONTRIBUTION OF POUNDS ONE AND HALF MILLION P.A. PLUS A SPECIAL CONTRIBUTION OF POUNDS THREE AND A HALF MILLION P.A. H.M.G. FOR ITS PART, WAS READY TO AGREE TO THIS METHOD OF PRESENTATION AT THAT TIME IN ORDER TO ASSIST THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO SATISFY PUBLIC OPINION IN THE MATTER WHILE AS UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS WILL RECALL, STILL PRESSING THE VIEW THAT POUNDS FIVE MILLION P.A. WAS A NOT UNREASONABLE FIGURE FOR THE

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/ CONTRIBUTION,

ASCREET