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CONFIDENTIAL
civil and military, required to meet it was given the most
The thorough study both in Hong Kong and in London.
conclusion was that some further reduction could be made while
still maintaining a garrison which was militarily adequate.
These reductions would involve the removal of an infantry
battalion, the remaining artillery battery, and one or other
component of the Naval element. The garrison would then
comprise 4 infantry battalions (one of them, for military and political reasons, a British battalion), engineers, a frigate
(although patrol craft may be preferred) and a helicopter
squadron. At September 1975 prices, this would in 1976/77
cost about £44m or $470m HK dollars, towards which we are
asking the Hong Kong Government to pay $350m, that is
$1750m over a five year period. The garrison costs have been
rigorously pruned and we have not included all the items
for example, training, headquarters overheads and pensions
which could be attributed to Hong Kong. Her Majesty's
Government is satisfied that this level of forces is
sufficient in present circumstances. The reductions will make
available to Hong Kong valuable land currently used by the
garrison.
In saying this, I can confirm that it will continue to
be possible to reinforce Hong Kong from the UK. And, in
agreeing that the garrison can be reduced to the level I have
indicated, Ministers acknowledge the presence of a local
reinforcement capability provided by the battalion stationed
in Brunei.
/There
page 5.