TNAG-0308-FCO40-344-Contributions-of-Hong-Kong-for-costs-of-maintaining-military-1971 — Page 56

SECRET

8.

JIDUN

TURNING NOW TO PARAS 13 TO 15 OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS' MEMORANDUM,

HMG MUST POINT CUT THAT NO SUGGESTION HAS BEEN MADE THAT THE COLONY

SHOULD PAY FOR ANY SPECIFIC PROPORTION OF THE COSTS OF KEEPING

TROOPS IN HONG KONG. WHATEVER FIGURE MAY BE AGREED MUST INEVIT- ABLY BE BASED ON SOME ASSESSMENT OF THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT, EACH FOR THEIR OWN PARTICULAR REASONS, BY BOTH HONG KONG AND HMG: BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN SUGGESTED THAT A FORMULA ON WHICH TO BASE THE AMOUNT

NEED NECESSARILY BE AGREED UPON BETWEEN THEM ALSO.

9.

•

THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS' ASSURANCE THAT A CONTRIBUTION SHOULD

BE MADE IS WELCOMED, AND IT IS AGREED THAT THE AMOUNT SHOULD BE ONE

THE COLONY CAN AFFORD. HMG'S CONTENTION IS HOWEVER THAT THE

COLONY, EVEN HAVING REGARD TO OTHER FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS AND THE POTENTIAL DANGERS TO THE ECONOMY WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT DEVELOP, CAN AFFORD AN INCREASED CONTRIBUTIONAND SHOULD ENDEAVOUR TO DO

SO HAVING REGARD TO THE BENEFITS WHICH IS AFFORDED BY THE PRESENCE

OF THE GARRISON.

10. HMG ARE, FURTHERMORE, VERY READY TO AGREE.....(AND CONTINUE AS IN THE LAST SENTENCE OF PARA. 12 OF YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 253).

11. IF THERE ARE ANY FURTHER POINTS ON WHICH CLARIFICATION IS

DESIRED AN ENDEAVOUR WILL DE MADE TO ANSWER THEM?'

ENDS.

TRENCH

FILES:

HKD

FED

DEFENCE DEFT

PPAD

ATD

CCD

PS

PS TO FUS

SIR L. MONSON

SIR S. TOMLINSON MR. WILFORD

MR. ROSE

3

SECRET

COPIES TO:

MR.D.J.J. BRACK, HM TREASURY MR.A.F. THORPE, F1 (AIR)2, MOD

MR.R.J. SMITH, DOE, LAMBETH BDGE HOUSE

MR.P.D. NAIKNE, MOD

MR.R. GEDLING, IN TREASURY

MR. E. STRETTON, DOE, LAMBETH BDGE

MR.F.H. GWYNN, MOD

HOUSE