CONFIDENTIAL
therefore wish to continue using after withdrawal of the battalion. Such continued use will be dependent upon the goodwill of the Sultan who will, no doubt, wish to know what will be the position on assistance to the Royal Brunei Malay Regiment, particularly in the form of Loan Service Personnel. Withdrawal from Brunei will
require us, under the terms of the Defence Costs Agreement with Hong Kong, to make alternative arrangements for the reinforcement of the garrison there. The recent unrest in some sections of
the Royal Hong Kong Police served as a reminder of a real need to be ready to make timely reinforcement of the garrison in the face of any deteriorating internal security situation in the Colony.
It
is most important, therefore, that the Governor of Hong Kong should be kept fully in the picture, and be given advance warning of any
announcement.
4. As you know, we are committed by the Defence Review to reduce the Brigade of Gurkhas from 7000 to 6000 by 1 April 1979. This reduction has been based on the assumption that the Brunei commitment would cease, and that we could therefore achieve our stated objective by reducing from 5 battalions to 4. reduction will entail the redistribution of manpower throughout the Brigade and those Gurkhas who are to be made redundant will need to be given 6 months' warning. The process must begin by
This
1 April 1978 if we are to have any chance of meeting our deadline.
We will be circulating a further note about this.
5
I am copying this to the members of DOP, to the Attorney
General and to Sir John Hunt.
John Gilbert
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TAL