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that the Colony should not be milked to pay for its defence
when so much needs to be done to provide better living stan-
dards and improved social services.
4. The new agreement will need to take account of the
increase in size of the post-1971 garrison, made necessary
because after that date it will no longer be possible for the
garrison to be supported or reinforced from Singapore.
increases in strength, as approved by DOPC in May 1968, are
set out below:
The
Present Garrison
Post-1971 Garrison
NAVY
3 Coastal Minesweepers
ARMY
63 Major Army Units
5 Coastal Minesweepers 2 Frigates
73 Major Army Units
RAF
6 Whirlwind Helicopters
to be increased to 10 in April 1970).
10 Whirlwind Helicopters
5.
In approving these force
levels Ministers decided to
defer consideration of where the costs should be borne pending
a full assessment of the cost of our commitment in Hong Kong.
It was nevertheless clear that the Ministry of Defence were
expecting their votes to be reimbursed to the extent of not
less than the full budgetary cost of forses attributed to the
internal security role of the garrison.
6. When the Defence Secretary visited Hong Kong in June,
1969, the Governor suggested to him that as a first step in
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