SECRET
RegistK 10/1
DRAFT LETTER
No.
Type 1 +
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
Top Secret.
Secret
Confidential.
Restricted. Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
In Confidence
To:-
The Rt. Hon. Roy Mason MP
Ministry of Defence
Whitehall
SW1
FROM
Secretary of State
Telephone No. Ext,
Department
Letter despatched by Private Secretary's Dept
18 FEB 1975
DEFENCE REVIEW: HONG KONG
.
You wrote to me on 11 February enclosing
a paper on Hong Kong. There is clearly still a wide gap to be bridged, and I agree that we must accept the Governor's judgment that it would not be in the interests of either side to seek to resolve the
matter before May
My officials are in regular touch with the Governor about the prospects for the negotiations, and Goronwy Roberts's recent visit to Hong Kong provided an opportunity to discuss the Hong Kong budgetary situation on the spot. The Governor is well aware of HMG's position, and I do not think any purpose would be served by further high level messages at this stage.
Such
manage might well
firmal be useful little later, perhaps when negotiations with
Exer
Execurve Council
mocarding
The
a
ave
We must meanwhile do all we can, in advance of the formal negotiations, to make it easier to resolve the problem. I therefore support the contingency work proposed in the paper and, particularly, the proposal for an early study of the possibilities of a £35 m. garrison.
I am sending copies of this letter to the Prime Minister, to our other DOPC colleagues, and to Sir John Hunt.
Ord
SECRET
Nr.
1712 En
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