CONFIDENTIAL
3.
-2-
items (eg the two companies from Brunei, whose full costs are now borne by the Sultan), the Defence Costs Agreement
formula is generally appropriate.
b) Possible changes in the package.
The Ministry of
Defence have taken the line that a battalion from the
United Kingdom can only be provided if it is changed
every 2 months. This is largely because unaccompanied
postings for longer than that would create serious morale
problems. The arrangement is scarcely ideal for Hong Kong: it
will be very expensive and the troops will be replaced almost
as soon as they have become acclimatised. The Governor would
therefore prefer either longer intervals between changes
or the use of the whole Gurkha battalion from Brunei (Gurkhas
are better than British soldiers in dealing with illegal
immigrants).
Neither problem had been resolved when this brief was
prepared (21 June). The Prime Minister has asked for the Secretary of State's views on costs, and has suggested that the United Kingdom
battalion might stay in Hong Kong for 4 months at a time.
Hong Kong and General Department
22 June 1979
CONFIDENTIAL