6195 D073528 400M 2/74 Cr.P.C. 839/3
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
Registry No.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
Top Secret.
Secret.
Confidential.
Restricted, Unclassified,
PRIVACY MARKING
In Confidence
DRAFT
To:-
SEORET
PAPER FOR THE DEFENCE
STUDIES OFFICIAL
SIDERING COMMISUTUBE.
Type 1 +
FROM
Telephone No. Ext.
Department
DEFENCE REVIEW HONG KONG
Ministers have agreed that we must maintain. a sufficient garrison in Hong Kong for internal security purposes. They have asked for a further study of the minimum force levels and costs, Pri would be related to the retention or abandonment
When the
of a rapid reinforcement capability. survey was complete Hong Kong would be pressed to meet as much of the cost as possible.
2.
The Governor has now accepted the view of his
either military advisers that Hong Kong needs a garrison of about the present size (6} major units/battalions) but without the present rapid reinforcement capability; or about 5 major units with such capability. He considers that the guardship and a helicopter lift capability should be retained. He would prefer the
rapunct larger force without reinforcement, since what
L
matters most is a garrison in being. But UK figures have suggested that it would cost more (about £38 million per year as against £34 million for the smaller force with reinforcement capability. He therefore reluctantly accepts the latter.
3.
The Governor considers that he could in the face of substantial local opposition, induce the Hong Kong Government to increase its contribution to about £17 million per year for the support of a viable garrison, from the end of the present Defence Agreement in 1976. This would be more than double Hong Kong's present contribution; while the cost to HMG of the less expensive option would be more than against the present £34/2m). halved, to about (17 million aise.
LL.
•
His subjective judgment of the maximum that Hong Kong could contribute is made against a situation