TNAG-0546-FCO40-641-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 116

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3. ON TIMING, AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE 19TH DECEMBER WOULD BE

SATISFACTORY PROVIDED EITHER

(A) THERE HAS BEEN AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON IMPORT RESTRICTIONS BY

17 DECEMBER WHICH DOES NOT REPEAT NOT BEAR ON HONG KONG: OR

(B) AN ASSURANCE IS FORTHCOMING FROM H.M.G. THAT NO ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE INTRODUCTION OF IMPORT RESTRICTIONS AFFECTING HONG KONG WOULD BE MADE BEFORE MONDAY 5 JANUARY, 1976.

4. UNLESS 3(A) OR 3(B) CAN BE MET I COULD NOT ADVISE THAT THE

D C A BE CONCLUDED OR ANY ANNOUNCEMENT MADE ON THE 19 DECEMBER. ANYTHING LESS THAN THE INTERVAL BETWEEN 19 DECEMBER AND 5

JANUARY WOULD RUN CONTRARY TO THE FIRM ADVICE OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS THAT THERE SHOULD BE A MINIMUM INTERVAL OF 2/3 WEEKS BETWEEN AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE D C A AND ANY ANNOUNCEMENT OF IMPORT RESTRICTIONS AFFECTING HONG KONG.

5. A POSTPONEMENT OF A FEW WEEKS WHILST THE PROBLEM OF POSSIBLE

IMPORT RESTRICTIONS IS SORTED OUT SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY SIGNIFICANT

EFFECT ON THE TIMETABLE FOR KAI TAK AND VICTORIA BARRACKS SINCE

PLANNING IS PROCEEDING ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE M O U WILL BE

CONCLUDED SOON.

6. IF THE REQUIREMENTS IN PARA 4 CAN BE MET, AN ANNOUNCEMENT AT 11.00 HOURS LONDON TIME ON THE 19TH WOULD BE SATISFACTORY, THOUGH WE SHOULD WANT FORTY-EIGHT HOURS NOTICE. WE INTEND TO AMPLIFY THE JOINT STATEMENT WITH SOME FURTHER COMMENTS AND ARE ASSUMING THAT

THE GOVERNOR WILL NOT WISH TO COMMENT SEPARATELY IN LONDON.

7. I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF O'KEEFFE WOULD PASS THE GIST OF

PARAGRAPHS 1 TO 3 INCLUSIVE ABOVE TO ANDREW OF M O D.

ROBERTS

DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION

HKIOD (3)

DEFENCE D

EID

FS/PUS

PS/LORD GOROMY-ROBERTS

2

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COPIES TO:

MR KIDD

HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE E GRAFTON STREET