TNAG-0545-FCO40-640-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 119

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4. THE WORKING PARTY REPORT WILL BE CONSIDERED ON TUESDAY 2ND

DECEMBER BY EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND FINANCE COMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN JOINT SESSION, AT WHICH THE APPROVAL OF UNCFFICIALS WILL BE SOUGHT TO THE HEADS OF AGREEMENT, AS SUPPLEMENTED

BY THIS REPORT.

5. SINCE YOU LEFT IT HAS BECOME CLEAR AS A RESULT OF EXCHANGES BY TELEGRAM THAT A NUMBER OF MATTERS LISTED IN THE ANNEX TO THE HEADS OF AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE SETTLED BY THE 4 DECEMBER. I ANTICIPATE

THAT THESE MATTERS WILL BE RAISED BY THE OFFICIALS WHO WILL ACCOMPANY

MR RODGERS.

6. WHEN YOU LEFT IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT ALTHOUGH YOU WOULD HOLD

INFORMAL TALKS IN LONDON, YOU WOULD NOT TAKE PART IN FURTHER FORMAL

NEGOTIATIONS ABOUT DEFENCE COSTS. THIS HAS HAD THE EFFECT OF

DAMPENING LOCAL INTEREST IN DEFENCE COSTS SINCE IT APPEARS TO BE

GENERALLY ACCEPTED THAT DISCUSSIONS ON THEM ARE BEING CONDUCTED) BY TELEGRAM BETWEEN OFFICIALS.

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7. AT EXECUTIVE COUNCIL TODAY I BRIEFED UNOFFICIALS ON THE OUTLINES

OF THE WORKING PARTY'S REPORT. DURING THE DISCUSSION WHICH FOLLOWED, UNOFFICIALS URGED THAT YOU MUST BE SEEN TO BE CONTINUING THE STRUGGLE

ON HONG KONG'S BEHALF WHEN YOU ARE IN LONDON EARLY IN DECEMBER AND

THAT IT SHOULD BE KNOWN THAT YOU ARE BEING ACCOMPANIED BY SENIOR

OFFICIALS.

8. IN VIEW OF THE STRONG VIEWS EXPRESSED BY UNOFFICIALS ON THE NEED

TO BRING YOU UP-TO-DATE ON THE MATTERS REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH 5 AND OF THE FACT THAT FURTHER DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN OFFICIALS ON OUT- STANDING ISSUES WILL STILL BE NECESSARY AFTER YOUR TALKS WITH MR RODGERS, I PROPOSE TO SEND A TEAM OF OFFICIALS COMPRISING THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY AND THE SOLICITOR GENERAL ON THE 2ND DECEMBER, ARRIVING IN LONDON ON THE MORNING OF THE 3RD DECEMBER. THEY WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO DISCUSS THE LATEST POSITION WITH YOU ON THE AFTERNOON

OF THE 3RD DECEMBER.

·OM THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY HAS IMPORTANT BUSINESS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON THE 3RD DECEMBER AND CANNOT LEAVE HONG KONG UNTIL THE EVENING OF THAT DAY, BUT HE WILL BE ABLE TO JOIN THE DISCUSSIONS BY THE LATE MORNING OF THE 4TH DECEMBER.

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