241
44116.027/6
RECEIVED
2 4 OCT 1985
GPS 650 SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO DESK BY 2410007 FCO
TELNO 2304
OF 2409107 OCTOBER 35
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
SECRET
14t
INDEX
MR. RENTON'S VISIT: BRIEF ON FUTURE OF THE GARRISON.
LINE TO TAKE.
DESK OF 10-13
REGISTRY
PA
Action Tíkur.
1. SUGGEST THE LINE TO TAKE SHOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH THE RECENT
STATEMENTS BY CDS THAT HMG WILL CONTINUE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
DEFENCE AND INTERNAL SECURITY OF HONG KONG UP TO 1997. IN ANY INTERNAL SECURITY SITUATIONS THAT APISE, THE GARRISON WILL CONTINUE TO BACK THE POLICE FORCE. BUT PLANS ARE LIKELY TO BE DEVELOPED PROGRESSIVELY TO REDUCE THE SIZE OF THE GARRISON AND TO INCREASE
THE POLICE FORCE.
2. THE FUTURE ROLE OF THE GURKHAS IN THE BRITISH ARMY HAS YET TO BE
DETERMINED.
3. IF QUESTIONED ON THE RECENT DECISION TO REDUCE THE GARRISON BY ONE GURKHA BATTALION, THE ANSWER IS THAT THIS BATTALION WAS CREATED TEMPORARILY TO HELP TO CONTROL THE SUBSTANTIAL ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION INTO HONG KONG IN THE 1980S. THIS ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS NOW UNDER CONTROL AND THERE IS NO NEED TO RETAIN THIS BATTALION.
BACKGROUND.
4. THE BRITISH GARRISON IN HONG KONG CONSISTS OF FIVE REGULAR INFANTRY BATTALIONS SQUARE BRACKETS BEGIN FOUR GURKHA AND ONE BRITISH, ONE GURKHA BATTALION TO BE WITHDRAWN IN 1987 SQUARE BRACKETS END FIVE NAVAL PATROL CRAFT AND ONE RAF HELICOPTER
SQUADRON.
5. DURING NORMAL TIMES THE GARRISON'S ROLE IS TO ASSIST IN CONTROLLING THE LAND AND SEA BORDERS. IN AN INTERNAL SECURITY SITUATION, THE GARRISON SUPPORTS THE CIVIL ADMINISTRATION AND THE POLICE. ITS PRIMARY ROLE IS TO GUARD KEY POINTS AND TO ISOLATE AREAS OF DISTURBANCE SO THAT THE POLICE CAN DEAL WITH THE SITUATION IN SUCH AREAS. ONLY AS A LAST RESORT SHOULD THE GARRISON
THE DIRECTLY CONFRONT RIGTERS. IN RECENT DECADES, INCLUDING 1967, GARRISON HAS NEVER HAD TO GO BEYOND ITS PRIMARY ROLE.
6. TO REPLACE THE GARRISON IN 1997, A STERRING GROUP CONSISTING OF CBF, S FOR S AND CP ARE ON THE EDGE OF AGREEING A PAPER RECOMMENDING AN EXTENSION OF THE POLICE TACTICAL UNIT BACKED BY
SECRET
/HONG