TNAG-0536-FCO40-631-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 141

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Head of Fl(Air)/1818

DS11 (Mr Hawtin)

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- 7 JAN1975

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Copy to:

Head of DS1

Head of D36

FCO (Head of Hong Kong and Indian Ocean Department

PQ 1873B Hong Kong

Mr Stuart)

You asked for comments on the draft reply and background note forwarded with your DS11/1/1/3/4 of 30 December.

2. I have no comments on the draft reply but would like to suggest some alteration to the background note.

3. I suggest that "(c. £10M pa)" is deleted from line 5 of paragraph 1 and the following inserted as the third sentence of this paragraph: -

"This Contribution is currently £6.5M pa but an additional £3M was subsequently agreed to be made available for capital works services up to 31 March 1976. Thus it is conveniently assumed that the current contribution represents £10M pa at present."

In line 9 of this paragraph I suggest that "20M" is revised to read "£17M to £20".

4. As regards paragraph 2, while the reference to the Governor emphasising that the Hong Kong Defence Contribution could not be trebled at once reflects what is said in paragraph 1 of the record of the meeting with him on 18 December, it is not made clear that he also said that 75% of £40M could not be reached in 5 years. Indeed there is doubt as to whether the Governor would regard any offer made by him has so far exceeded £17M. But there is considerable room for doubt on this point and I would expect the FCO to comment upon it. However, I suggest that the words "emphasised that the contribution could not be trebled at once and" should be deleted from this paragraph.

3 January 1974

A F THORP Head of Fl(Air)

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