TNAG-0541-FCO40-636-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 145

SECRET UK EYES A

From: A J H Ward

SECRE!

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

R

Main Building Whitehall London SW1A 2HB

Telephone 01-218 2241(Direct Dialling)

01-218 9000

(Switchboard)

PL O'Keeffe Esq, CVO

Hong Kong and Indian Ocean Dept

Foreign and Commonwealth Office King Charles Street

London SW1A 2AH

Defence Secretariat 6

SCENES

No.52

13 JUN1975

IKKIO)!

ROR

Vandiy

180

to

1 to not remember the amar actually ageing Graduation from 50

but he may tantrond

Your reference

Our reference

Date

D/DS6/46/66/14

|| June 1975

75:

have

this to

hased Sexanny Лавит. Сай wich? Jau

Will

De ar

Lawrence

:

(178)

HONG KONG

(185)

1. As I think you know, the Chiefs of Staff have now considered the Working Party's report on the future garrison. My Secretary of State has been invited formally to take note of their conclusions and, on the assumption that we will do so without substantive comment, I have prepared the enclosed draft (which I am separately circulating within MOD) of a submission to OPD. This is seen as being presented as a paper prepared by MOD in consultation with FCO and Treasury.

2.

I see the aim of this submission as being simply to secure authority for the minimum HMG requirement, leaving details such as the pace and period of graduation-to be settled by officials as far as possible. The paper is therefore drafted to leave such matters as the period of a new agreement open to negotiation (with the obvious corollary that concession of a longer period than the 7 years hitherto seen as the maximum ought to be linked to an especially advantageous graduation arrangement). You will observe that drafting takes it as a premise that our discussions with Hong Kong have reached the point at which the "firm objective" of a flat 75% throughout can now be said to have been thoroughly explored and found unattainable, thus leaving no alternative to the compromise of graduation.

3. In view especially of the Governor's comments on timing in his 570 of 9 June, our aim must be to put a paper to OPD as soon as possible and, ever hopeful, I should like to think that no further general circulation of drafts will be necessary. May I ask you, and John Hansford in the Treasury, to whom I am copying this letter and the enclosure, to look at the draft on this basis and to let me know your views by close of play Tuesday 17 June? Perhaps I should add that Robert Andrew, AUS(GS), has copies of the draft and of this letter.

Yours Sincenty,

Ниблені вия

Wait.

EVES A