CONFIDENTIAL
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SW1A 2AH
M Haworth Esq
CFS Co-ord (N)/A
Ministry of Defence
Main Building
Whitehall
акте
Telephone 01-233 4439
(121)
Your reference D/CFS Co-ord(N)/45/
12/3
Our reference
HKK 020/2
Date
26 November 1982
огор
No
MMPB
HONG KONG CHINESE IN RFA SERVICE
The points in your letter to me of 8 November were passed on to the Hong Kong Government, who have now replied.
1.
2.
They accept that the replacement of Chinese crews is inevitable in view of their reluctance to serve in a war zone. They do not expect that the phasing-out will attract public attention in Hong Kong. If it does, their line would be that this is part of a programme which started before the Falklands campaign, and which is also connected with the reduction in the size of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
We hope this will meet with any publicity that you give to the proposal. I would appreciate it if you could keep me up-to-date with any developments.
3.
ONFIDENTIAL
RJ F Hoare
Hong Kong and General Department