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FM HONG KONG 101147Z MAR
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TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 352 OF 10 MAR 1979
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING AND PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENTOFFICE
LONDON
MILITARY REINFORCEMENT,
MIPT.
1. TO MEET THE SITUATION ON THE LAND, WE HAVE REDEPLOYED, OR PLAN TO REDEPLOY, OUR EXISTING MANPOWER RESOURCES TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT AS FOLLOWS: 220 EXTRA POLICE HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED TO THE BORDER SINCE NOVEMBER AND 348 MORE WILL BE DEPLOYED THIS MONTH: THE LOCAL VOLUNTEER REGIMENT ARE PROVIDING SOME PATROLS AT WEEKENDS: AND THE ARMY WILL, AS SOON AS THE SITUATION DEMANDS, DEPLOY ADDITIONAL TROOPS, UP TO A SECOND BATTALION, TO REINFORCE THE ONE ALREADY ON THE BORDER.
2. THE PRESENT GARRISON STRENGTH IS 4 1/3 BATTALIONS, WITH THE ABANDONMENT OF CERTAIN IMPORTANT TASKS AND OVERSEAS EXERCISES, IT IS POSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN A TWO BATTALION DEPLOYMENT ON THE BORDER FOR AT LEAST SIX MONTHS. WHETHER IN FACT SUCH A DEPLOYMENT WILL BE NEEDED FOR A LONGER OR SHORTER PERIOD THAN THIS DEPENDS GN A VARIETY OF FACTORS, PRINCIPALLY ON THE CHINESE SIDE, WHICH WE CANNOT AT PRESENT FORECAST. WE PROPOSE THEREFORE TO REVIEW THE
SITUATION IN JUNE.
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