A F Thorp Esq OBE Head of FI (Äir) Ministry of Defence Main Building London SW1
SECRET
174
18 October 1971
1 PRAT
199
1. Now that the dust appears to be settling on the issue of the Hong Kong defence contribution we think it would be advisable to agree with the Hong Kong Government on the terms of a paper embodying for the record the particulars and conditions of the contribution. As you know, this information is at present contained in a series of telegrams which we have exchanged with the Hong Kong Government.
2. I accordingly enclose for your comments the draft of such a paper which we propose to send to Hong Kong. I would emphasise that the draft contains only the main points of the defence contribution as agreed with Hong Kong. We realise that there may be ancilliary matters (e.g. concerning the implementation of the capital works programme) which the Department of the Environment may wish to clear up, but we do not feel that such matters should be included in the terms of the enclosed paper. Indeed we would hope that it will be possible for such matters to be cleared up by the Department of the Environment direct with their opposite numbers in the Hong Kong Government. We understand that Stretton will be visiting Hong Kong fairly soon and his visit would no doubt provide a suitable opportunity for this to be done.
3.
We propose to send the enclosed paper (as we ultimately agree at this end) to Hong Kong under cover of a semi-official letter which may be addressed either to the Colonial Secretary or to the Governor. For this purpose I should be grateful to receive your comments as soon as possible. I am copying this letter and its enclosures to Brack and Smith for any comments that they may likewise wish to make.
it
cc T J Brack Esq, Treasury
R J 3mith Esq, Dept of the Environment
Lambeth Bridge House, SE1
SECRET
A W Gaminara Hong Kong Dept
$275. v. retion of
Deff deginal
Niginal 81734
10
ON
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