रात्र
HICK
10/1
sole
SECRET
Reference.....
58
Hong Kong Department (Mr. Gaminara)
c.c.
Mr. Crowson (F.E.D.)
Mr. Ward (S.W.P.D.)
Mr. Urwick
Mr. Varcoe (Rhodesia Political Department)
Mr. Tesh
Hong Kong Guardship
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I attach a copy of a draft paper by the Navy Department on the Hong Kong guardship.
The draft paper has been sent to CBFHK for his comments, and MOD expect him to invite the views of the Governor. On the receipt of views from Hong Kong, the paper is to be forwarded to the Chiefs of Staff, and FCO comments will be invited at this stage.
2.
The reexamination of the Hong Kong guardship commitment stems from the fact that post 1971 it will not be possible to make a contribution of 2 ships to the ANZUK naval force from the currently planned East of Suez numbers whilst the requirement for 1 ship on the Beira patrol continues and the present rules for the Hong Kong Guardship remain. The paper rejects as a possible solution to the ANZUK force problem placing a frigate on 4 days notice to reinforce Hong Kong since this would not meet the requirement to sustain confidence in Hong Kong. It suggests as a possible means of alleviating the overstretch of our naval forces East of Suez that the Hong Kong Guardship might go to two days notice from time to time when it would receive alongside maintenance in Hong Kong. It also recommends that the Hong Kong guardship be allowed to go to 4 days notice from time to time whilst ANZ ships are visiting Hong Kong. The present Hong Kong guardship is also notionally earmarked to United Nations Naval Force Korea.
The paper recommends that to gain flexibility in deployment of our naval forces East of Suez, the U.N. commitment might be relaxed to allow it to be met by ships in Singapore (presumably while the Hong Kong guardship is receiving maintenance.)
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3. The problems over the ANZUK naval force will be considerably eased if HMG decide to discontinue the Beira patrol by the end of 1971. It appears, however, that HMG are unlikely to come to any such decision until after another bid has been made to reach an accommodation with the present Rhodesia régime.
4.
5
Hong Kong Department may wish to telegraph the Governor to ensure that he is consulted by CBFHK, and to let us have his views. My own views are that the Navy Department's recommendations are acceptable. Although Malaysia and Singapore do not wish the 5 Power Defence Arrangements to extend beyond Malaysia and Singapore, the FCO have already agreed at official level that the ANZUK naval operational area will do so, although this
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