SECRET
101)
£
@
DUS (P)/343/14
RECEIVED
REGISTRY No.52
26 SEP 1974
NICICI 19
Sir Duncan Watson KCMG
Foreign & Commonwealth Office
LONDON SW1
Dear Dunch
DEFENCE REVIEW
LAST
REF
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REF.
HONG KONG
FROM: MR A PHOCKADAY
DEPUTY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE
(POLICY AND PROGRAMMES)
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
MAIN BUILDING WHITEHALL LONDON SW1A 2HB
Telephone:
01 - 218
2135...
(Direct Dialling)
01 - 218 9000 (Switchboard)
24 September 1974
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I have seen Hong Kong telegram No 953 of 23 September in which Murray Maclehose asks some questions in amplification of your telegram No 805 of 17 September.
2. As it happened, the Chief of the Defence Staff sent CBF Hong Kong an exclusive signal on 23 September informing him rather more fully of the position reached by Ministers, and consulting him on the questions which Ministers had asked. I enclose a copy of this signal; and you may well wish simply to draw Murray's attention to its existence and make sure that he touches base with General Bramall.
3.
I think that paragraphs 2 and 3 of CDS's signal should give Murray all he wants to know about strength of forces and about costs. Paragraph 4(b) deals with Gurkhas. As to reinforcement, paragraph 2 of the signal repeats the precise language of the OPD minutes 101) (OPD(74)14th meeting, item 3) to the effect that a reinforcement
capability should not be maintained. If in particular circumstances the Government were nevertheless to decide that Hong Kong should be reinforced, the necessary forces would be redeployed from within the Critical Level and the delay would depend among other things upon the political ease or difficulty that we found in negotiating a route. Our guess would be that to get an additional battalion to Hong Kong could in the worst case take up to three weeks, but we would hope that it would be less.
4.
I am copying this letter to Howard Smith and John Thomson.
Yours sincerely
Antw Hockaday
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