TNAG-0847-FCO40-1057-Visits-of-Sir-Murray-MacLehose--Governor-of-Hong-Kong--to-th-1979 — Page 70

CONFIDENTAL

GR 15%

CONFIDENTIAL

LESKBY 140800Z

FM WASHINGTON 132240Z JUN 79

TO IMMEDIATE F C O

TELEGRAM NO 1495 OF 13 JUNE

HK12.026/146

RAASITAD IN REGISTRY NO. §

19 JUN 1979

IND

DESK

PA

No 1830.6 фов

ક

NODUK AIR TELEGRAM TO BDS WASHINGTON NO. 131500Z.

FOLLOWING FOR MCLAREN HONG KONG DEPT.

1. BDS WILL REPLY DIRECT TO MODUK ON QUESTIONS 2B AND 2C OF TUR. ON QUESTION 2A, DOD HAVE DECLINED TO ANSWER ON GROUNDS THAT THIS WOULD NEED POLITICAL CLEARANCE.

2. IF WE ARE TO PUT THIS QUESTION TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT, IT WOULD MAKE IT MARGINALLY MORE DIFFICULT FOR THE AMERICANS TO

REFUSE IF WE CAN PUT A SPECIFIC REQUEST TO THEM FROM THE OUTSET RATHER THAN THE QUESTION OF PRINCIPLE. IT WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL

IF WE CAN MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE OPERATION WE ENVISAGE WILL BE

SELF-CONTAINED, AND NOT THE FIRST OF A SERIES. IF POSSIBLE,

WE SHOULD TRY TO DEAL WITH THIS BEFORE GOVERNOR HONG KONG STARTS

HİS TALKS HERE OVER THE WEEKEND.

JAY

FILES

ARGD (6)

CONFIDENTIAL

31