TNAG-0310-FCO40-346-Contributions-of-Hong-Kong-for-costs-of-maintaining-military-1971 — Page 160

глерод

Mr

Logan

SECRET

145

25

(26)

126) S

131)

(134) (136) $

HONG KONG DEFENCE CONTRIBUTION

$

1. At the end of July Mr Koyle approved the despatch of the telegram (FCO tel No 553) conveying the decision of the DOPC

to the Governor.

2.

In his reply (Hong Kong tel No 528) the Governor expressed

disappointment that his recommendations had been rejected and

asked for clarification of certain points. Before we had time

to reply to that telegram the Governor sent a further telegram (No 549) from which it appeared that he was most reluctant to

act on the DOPC decision.

3. It was not at all clear from the Governor's telegrams

what, if anything, had been said to the Unofficial Members of

Executive Council about the way in which Ministers would like

to see this issue settled. In the circumstances Mr Godber

agreed that we had no choice but to keep up pressure on the

Governor, and he approved the despatch of FCO telegram No 592.

It was not 4. Te then received Hong Kong telegram No 579.

entirely clear from this exactly what the Governor was planning to do. He had been told earlier (paragraph 8 of FCO tel

To

No 592) that Ministers awaited his report on the reactions of

his Executive Council to the DOPC proposals previously conveyed

to him. He had also been told that he should not at this

stage say anything about the use of the reserved powers.

make quite sure that the Governor would not inadvertently

commit Ministers to a course of action going beyond the

/instructions

SECRET

Ва

12/9/21

AWG 22/3/21