IMMEDIATE
CYPHER/CAT A
GRS 400
FM HONG KONG 260490 Z
SECRET
DESKBY Ø609387
SECRET
TOP COPY
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No. 50
- 6 MAR 1975
LHKK 10/1
TO IMMEDIATE F C O TEL NO 202 OF 6 MARCH.
PERSONAL FROM GOVERNOR.
YOUR TEL 160: DEFENCE REVIEW.
LAB
RE
101)
PA
7/3
I WOULD PREFER TO POSTPONE ANY STATEMENT ABOUT SPECIFIC WITHDRAWALS UNTIL THE WHOLE PACKAGE HAS BEEN AGREED, WHICH AFTER ALL SHOULD BE WITHIN TWO OR THREE MONTHS. THIS IS TO AVOID A PERIOD OF SPECULATION BETWEEN THE ANNOUNCEMENT NOW PROPOSED AND THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE EVENTUAL PACKAGE, AND TO AVOID THE LATTER BEING REPRESENTED AS A ''FURTHER' CUT (INSPITE OF THE WORDING OF THE FIRST STATEMENT) HOWEVER IF IT REALLY IS NECESSARY TO ISSUE THE ORDERS NOW AND IF THERE IS SERIOUS RISK OF THESE GENERATING EMBARRASSING LEAKAGE WITHING THE NEXT TWO OR THREE MONTHS, OBVIOUSLY A STATEMENT CANNOT BE AVOIDED.
2. SINCE THIS STATEMENT WILL BE READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH WHATEVER REFERENCE THERE IS TO HONG KONG IN THE WHITE PAPER GRATEFUL IF YOU
WOULD TELEGRAPH THE LATTER'S TEXT TO ME
3. SUBJECT TO THE FOREGOING, I WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF THE STATEMENT COULD BE REDRAFTED ALONG THE LINES OF PARA. 3 BELOW, SO AS TO
AVOID ANY MISAPPREHENSION THAT
(A) A LOWER LEVEL OF GARRISON HAS BEEN IMPOSED THAN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT THOUGHT DESIRABLE, OR
(D) THAT A REVIEW OF THE HONG KONG CONTRIBUTION UNDER THE CURRENT
DEFENCE COSTS AGREEMENT HAS BEEN TRIGGERED BY THE WITHDRAWAL OF
MORE THAN ONE MAJOR UNIT BEFORE THE AGREEMENT EXPIRES NEXT MARCH. THE CONSEQUENT AMENDMENTS ARE PURELY PRESENTATIONAL.
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