TNAG-0445-FCO40-510-Discussions-with-Sir-Murray-MacLehose--Governor-of-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 52

SECRET

(3)

НК

HKU 25/1

PS/PUS

VISIT OF THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG

1. Sir Murray MacLehose will be seeing the PUS on 17 June at 11.15 a.m. I will attend the call if required.

The

2. I attach copies of papers prepared for the visit. most difficult questions are likely to be the Death Penalty, the Chinese "representative" and the Defence Review. Sir Murray MacLehose will be discussing the first two of these with the Secretary of State on 21 June. Sir D. Watson and Mr Wilford will attend that meeting. On the Defence Review Sir Murray MacLehose will be seeing Mr Rodgers immediately after his meeting with the PUS. He will also attend a meeting with MOD Officials, chaired by Mr Thomson, on the following day 18 June. The Defence Studies Working Party has already submitted to the Steering Committee of Permanent Under Secretaries the paper of which Flag F is an extract. The preferred course of the MCD is total withdrawal. But

this is no more than a bargaining counter, and we have made it clear that it is not in fact an option unless Hong Kong is to be abandoned altogether. It may be more difficult to find the right level to which the garrison should be reduced. The Working Party's paper, which was produced before the Governor's visit, but which has been agreed by the Defence side of the FCC, suggests eventual reduction by a half. Governor takes the line that this must be an objective

military judgment and that it is too early to make this. The point may need to be made to the Steering Committee by the PUS.

The

14 June 1974

cc: Sir D Watson

Mr Male

SECRET

A C Stuart

Hong Kong and Indian Ocean Dept.

Mling thanks. Very illuminating

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