SECRET
CABINET
DEFENCE AND OVERSEA POLICY COMMITTEE
POLICY TOWARDS BRUNEI
TALKING POINTS FOR SECRETARY OF STATE
1. The Sultan has confirmed that he and his father are coming to Britain for the Jubilee Service and for the Trooping of the Colour.
GURKHAS
2. The value of having a Gurkha battalion in Brunei which can support Hong Kong quickly in an emergency is mentioned in the second paper. This is a matter for the Defence Secretary. However, the Governor of Hong Kong is concerned that if the only source of reinforcement is the UK, commitments to NATO and Northern Ireland might have to take precedence.
3. The Governor also believes that non-Hong Kong service is important for the Gurkhas, and that training in Brunei helps counter the claustrophic effect of service in
Hong Kong.
THIS IS A COPY
THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN CLOSED
UNTIL
EXEMPTION No 27
UNDER FOI
SECRET