TNAG-0542-FCO40-637-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 103

GPS 150

PRIORITY

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FM FCO 251733Z

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LABY

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287)

TOP COPY

(HKK 10/1)

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG TELNO 735 OF 25 SEPTEMBER

DEFENCE COSTS: YOUR TELNO 923.

1. MOD HAVE ASKED US TO PASS THE FOLLOWING:-

BEGINS

MR RODGERS HAS NOW CONSIDERED YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 923 AND AGREES

THAT YOU SHOULD MAKE HNG'S POSITION ON THE FUTURE SIZE OF THE

GARRISON AND THE ASSOCIATED FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS KNOWN TO THE

UNOFFICIALS: AND TELL THEM THAT MR RODGERS WILL BE VISITING HONG KONG IN LATE OCTOBER WITH A VIEW TO SIGNING A NEW DEFENCE COSTS

AGREEMENT. MR RODGERS WISHES TO EMPHASIS, HOWEVER, THAT HE MUST

PERSONALLY EXPAIN HMG'S POSITION TO THE UNOFFICIALS AND THAT YOU

MUST THEREFORE AVOID BEING DRAWN INTO ANY PREMATURE ATTEMPTS AT

NEGOTIATION. MR RODGERS WILL OF COURSE WELCOME A REPORT ON THE

REACTIONS OF UNOFFICIALS AS WELL AS YOUR ADVICE ON THE FORM OF

PLENARY AND DETAILED DISCUSSIONS .

ENDS

2. WE AGREE WITH YOUR PARAGRAPH 3 OF TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE.

MOD WILL HAVE TO CLEAR THE REFERENCE WITH MR RODGERS SO WE

WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR THE RELEVANT PART OF THE TEXT.

3. MOD WILL SOON HAVE TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT IN LONDON ABOUT

MR RODGERS' VISIT. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS ON

WHETHER THIS SHOULD BE DONE CONCURRENTLY WITH YOUR LEGGO ADDRESS

OR EARLIER WHEN YOU SPEAK TO UNOFFICIALS IN ORDER TO PRE-EMPT

POSSIBLE LEAKS.

4. COMMENTS ON YOUR TELMO 924 WILL FOLLOW SHORTLY,

CALLAGHAN

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FILES

HKIOD (3)

DEFENCE D

SWPD

PS

PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS

SIR D WATSON

MR THOMSON

MR MALE

COPIES TO:

MR WARD DS6 MOD

MR HANSFORD TREASURY

MR BRYARS CABINET OFFICE

MR AGGLETON PSA DOE

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