(HKK 10/10)
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Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London S.W.1
8 November 1971
P.D. Nairne, Esq., CB, MC, Deputy Under Secretary of State (Policy and Programmes) Ministry of Defence.
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Dear Naime
*
1. We have recently been considering whether there is a need any longer to provide for the appointment in certain circumstances of the Commander British Forces, Hong Kong, (CBF) as Governor and Commander in Chief of the Colony. you may know, a Dormant Commission was issued to the CBF in 1951.
2.
After consulting both the retiring Governor and the Governor-designate we have come to the conclusion here that the Commission no longer serves a useful purpose and should be terminated. Our reasons for reaching this conclusion are set out in the enclosed draft submission to the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary.
3. The Commission was issued in agreement with the War Office and the Chiefs of Staff at the time and I should be grateful to learn whether you see any objection to our proposal and, if not, whether we may say in paragraph 2 of the submission that "the Ministry of Defence agree that the Commission no longer serves a useful purpose and should be terminated". You will no doubt also say whether you have any amendments which you would like to see incorporated in the submission or the background note.
4. If our recommendation is approved, we propose to inform the Governor accordingly and to ask him to obtain the Commission from the CBF and return it to us. We suggest that the matter be dealt with in this manner since the Commission was originally issued to the CBF by hand of the Governor.
D
2 weeks
16.
W/works
派
24.11.71.
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Your
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With / masa
(L Monson)
B.U. 2 works,
De
23/12/
Fouls.
ARE
8.12.71
As
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