TNAG-0545-FCO40-640-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 106

GR 500

GEMEDIATE

CYPHER CAT A

FM FCO 271733Z NOV

SECRET

DESKBY 239 138 Z

SECRET

401

1DEC1975

$

NICK TO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TELNO 911 OF 27 NOVEMBER 1975.

FOR ACTING GOVERNOR FROM GOVERNOR.

YOUR TELNO 1186: DEFENCE COSTS.

REY.

(392) (03)

1. I HAVE DISCUSSED FIRST SENTENCE OF YOUR PARA 5 WITH ROBERT ANDREW, HE TAKES A LESS GLOOMY VIEW, CONSIDERS GOOD PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE, AND THAT THE OUTSTANDING POINTS COULD BE DEALT WITH RAPIDLY AT A MEETING OF OFFICIALS TO DE FOLLOWED BY ONE

BETWEEN MR RODGERS AND MYSELF.

2. IN ANY CASE I AM ANXIOUS THAT LATTER MEETING SHOULD NOT BE HELD UNTIL ALL MATTERS OF DETAIL ARE EITHER AGREED OR IDENTIFIED FOR NEGOTIATION BETWEEN MR RODGERS AND MYSELF. THIS MEANS THAT BY THEN THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AND ANNEXES SHOULD BE

IN COMPLETE FORM BUT PERHAPS WITH ONE OR TWO PASSAGES STILL

DISAGREED.

3. ANDREW THINKS THIS POSSIBLE AND THAT AT ANY RATE A MAJOR EFFORT SHOULD BE MADE TO MAKE IT SO, TO GIVE MORE TIME MY MEETING WITH MR RODGERS IS PUT BACK TO 6 P.M. ON THURSDAY (HE WILL NOT BE IN LONDON ON FRIDAY AT ALL). ANDREW WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR DISCUSSIONS WITH DAVIES ETC. ALL WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON FROM 2.30 P.M. (HIS ROOM IS NO. 6398) AND ALL THURSDAY.

4. IN THE LIGHT OF THE MEETING WITH MR RODGERS WE COULD CONSIDER WHAT FURTHER WORK IF ANY WILL BE NECESSARY. IN ANY EVENT I COULD NOT AGREE TO AN ANNOUNCEMENT UNTIL ALL ITEMS IN THE ANNEX TO THE

HEADS OF AGREEMENT HAVE BEEN DISPOSED OF.

15.

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