SE CRE T
4. The logic of our manpower predicament points clearly to a halt in the rundown of the Brigade of Gurkhas and I note that the Defence Secretary will be making proposals on the future of the Brigade after his return from the Far East.
5. I do not expect any objection from the Nepalese Government to a reversal of the previous government's policy of running
down the Gurkhas.
Indeed our Ambassador in Kathmandu reports
that for economic reasons the retention of the Gurkhas would be
welcomed by the Nepalese.
6."
"T
The future of the Gurkhas is also relevant to the size and composition of any military presence we may decide to retain in the Persian Gulf and South East Asia, as the Gurkhas at present provide the garrison in Brunei and also the greater part of the
Hong Kong garrison.
7. As I said when introducing my paper on Brunei, I should like to be able to put proposals to the Sultan when he is hero, in early September about our future defence commitment to Brunei. These proposals need to take account of whether we can allow
to
a Gurkha battalion remain in Brunei at the Sultan's expense.
W
!..
I hope therefore that a decision on the Gurkhas can be taken
:
before the sultan arrives here,
5
8 There may be questions in Parliament about the Gurkhas when
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a statement about the British Army rundown is made.
Answers
should be in as low a key as possible. Publicity about employ- ment of Gurkhas in the British Army is unwelcome to the Nepalese Government. Our Ambassador's advice is that the fewer public pronouncements we make about Gurkhas, the less we risk making. the future of the Brigade a subject of controversy within Nepal.