TNAG-0542-FCO40-637-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 150

CR 250

PRIORITY

CYPHER/CAT A

FM HONG KONG 030650Z

SECRET

SECRET

RECEIVED IN

REGISTRY No, 50

- 3 SEP 1975

NICKIO/1

TO PRIORITY F C O TELEGRAM NUMBER 867 OF 3 SEPTEMBER.

ད ་།

LAST

262

DEFENCE COSTS:

YOUR TELNO. 668.

REF.

KF.

261) (274) 676)

YOUR A) WE HAVE ALREADY HELD PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS WITH HQBF ON THE UP-DATING EXERCISE BUT FIND WE STILL NEED FURTHER INFORMATION (OUR TELNO. 810), PARTICULARLY ON THE EXCHANGE RATE IMPLICATIONS. WE SHALL TELEGRAPH AGAIN ONCE THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED

FROM MOD.

2. YOUR (B) WE ARE GLAD THAT THE NAVAL OPTIONS REMAIN OPEN UNTIL THE CONCLUSION OF A NEW AGREEMENT. BUT PLEASE RECONSIDER URGENTLY THE DECISION TO WITHDRAW THE TWO PATROL CRAFT ON 15 SEPTEMBER. WHILE I NOTE YOUR ASSURANCE THAT THIS WILL NOT PREJUDGE THE ULTIMATE DECISION, IT MAY APPEAR TO DO SO HERE, AND I AM MOST ANXIOUS NOT TO COMPLICATE THE DIFFICULT NEGOTIATIONS THAT LIE AHEAD WITH MISAPPREHENSION BY UNOFFICIALS ON THIS POINT. THEY ALSO MIGHT ATTEMPT TO MAKE PLAY WITH AN ALLEGED BREACH OF PARA 3 1(B) OF THE CURRENT AGREEMENT SINCE THEY COULD CLAIM THAT THIS WAS ADDITIONAL TO THE WITHDRAWAL OF A FULL TEETH UNIT AND OTHER ELEMENTS. AS SEEN FROM HERE IT ALSO APPEARS TO BE AN EXTRAVAGENT ARRANGEMENT TO RISK THESE CRAFT OR REPLACEMENTS FOR THEM BEING REQUIRED TO RETURN TO HONG KONG AS SOON AS THE LONG JOURNEY TO THE UK HAS BEEN COMPLETED. FINALLY, WHICH IS VERY RELEVENT, THEY ARE DOING A FIRST-RATE JOB HERE IN CONTROL OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, AND ATTEMPTS AT THE LATTER WILL STILL BE AT THEIR HEIGHT UP TILL THE END OF OCTOBER.

13.

SECRET

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