TNAG-0545-FCO40-640-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 22

CONFIDENTIAL

12. I CAN ONLY SAY THAT, UNLESS ASSURANCES ACCEPTABLE TO EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ARE RECEIVED, I DO NOT VIEW WITH ANY OPTIMISM THE PROSPECT

OF EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ADVISING THAT THE DEFENCE COSTS AGREEMENT

SHOULD BE CONCLUDED NOW.

13. IN THE LAST PARAGRAPH OF HIS TELNO 841 OF 5TH DECEMBER DAVIES SUGGESTED THAT COPIES OF THE MOU SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR CIRCULATION

TO EXECUTIVE COUNCIL BUT SHOULD NOT BE ISSUED TO MEMBERS UNTIL

FURTHER MATERIAL WERE PROVIDED BY HIM, PRESUMABLY BY WAY OF EXPLANATION OF THE MOU.

14. FEAR THAT I FEEL OBLIGED TO ISSUE THE TEXT OF THE MOU TO

UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS BEFORE THE WEEKEND. IF THERE IS TO BE ANY

PROSPECT OF THEIR AGREEING TO AN EARLY ANNOUNCEMENT, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE IMPRESSION SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN THAT THEY ARE

BEING RUSHED.

15. RETURN OF HONG KONG TEAM. I ASSUME THAT THE HONG KONG TEAM WILL

NOT BE ABLE TO LEAVE LONDON FOR HONG KONG ON MONDAY. THEREFORE 1

SUGGEST THAT THEY SHOULD TRY TO CATCH THE PLANE LEAVING LONDON ON -

WEDNESDAY AND ARRIVE IN HONG KONG ON THE EVENING OF THURSDAY,

I WOULD PREFER THEM NOT TO ARRIVE IN HONG KONG ON THE WEDNESDAY IN

THE MIDDLE OF THE CONTROVERSY WHICH WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY BE RAGING

AT THAT TIME IF AN ANNOUNCEMENT IS MADE ON THAT DAY. ROBERTS

FILES

HRIOD (4)

DEFENCED

PS

PS/LORD GORONWY - ROBERTS

SIRD WATSON

MR MALE

MR LARMOUR

MR THOMSON

COPIES TO

MRANDREW AUS(GS) MOD

MR STRIDD

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT

OFFICE

LONDON

-3-

CONFIDENTIAL