RESTRICTED
FM BTC HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 54
OF 121115Z FEBRUARY 92
BR
HKD 406/1
to
B3 Rmx 1992
BTC have been
asked to report afore
чёл
PERSONAL FOR RICKETTS, HKD.
forward
чв.
RESTRICTED
Mr woodrow
him viewing (without seating
OED will take in
る
pa.
40
107321
MDLIAN 3731
to HKG)
دادی
34
YOUR TELNO 20: GCHQ ASSETS IN HONG KONG
1.
TOP COPY
Q DIST?
NEITHER STC NOR I HAVE YET BEEN ABLE TO VIEW THE PROPERTY BUT I WOULD HOPE TO DO SO EARLY TO MID NEXT WEEK. HOWEVER, WOOD (OED) AND JARVIS VISITED THE SITE IN MARCH 1991 AND A COPY OF WOOD'S REPORT WAS SENT TO HKD AT THE TIME. ACCORDING TO JARVIS THE REPORT OMITTED TO REFLECT THE GENERAL IMPRESSION THAT BOTH HE AND WOOD FORMED THEN THAT THE COMPLEX WAS NOT BEING MAINTAINED TO A GOOD STANDARD AND THAT LITTLE MAINTENANCE, OTHER THAN ESSENTIAL WORK, WAS BEING CARRIED OUT. IN THEIR VIEW, BY 1996, WHEN THE BLOCK WILL BE 21 YEARS OLD (AND ALMOST ANCIENT BY HONG KONG STANDARDS), GENERAL DETERIORATION WILL HAVE REACHED THE STAGE WHERE DAY-TO-DAY MAINTENANCE WOULD BE VERY COSTLY. FURTHERMORE THE LOCATION OF THE FLATS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE ISLAND, WEST OF REPULSE BAY IN AN AREA WHICH IS FAST BECOMING VERY CONGESTED, IS FAR FROM IDEAL FOR STAFF WORKING ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE
ISLAND WHERE THE COLVIN HOUSE SITE IS.
2.
I AGREE THAT THE POSSIBILITY OF AN EXCHANGE OUGHT TO BE EXPLORED MORE FULLY BEFORE A DEAL IS STRUCK BETWEEN HKG AND GCHQ. BUT TO DO THIS PROPERLY WE WOULD NEED TO TALK TO HKG. I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN ABOUT BROACHING THIS ISSUE AT A TIME WHEN OTHER ACCOMMODATION MATTERS ARE OUTSTANDING BUT I THINK WE MIGHT NEVERTHELESS NOW, AND WITH CHIDGEY'S AGREEMENT, TRY TO FIND OUT FROM HKG, FIRST WHETHER AN EXCHANGE IS A FEASIBLE OPTION AND SECOND WHAT PROPERTIES MIGHT BE AVAILABLE FOR OUR USE.
SMITH-LAITTAN
YYYY
1
PAGE RESTRICTED
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