CONFIDENTIAL
3200 - 1
-
OCMIAN 3200
CONFIDENTIAL
RR PEKIN
FM FCOLN TO HOKON
11150OZ DEC
GRS 665
HMG 040/40
нны
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
13 DEC 1985
DESK OFFICER INDEX
PA
RESISTRY Action Taken
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO ROUTINE HONG KONG
TELNO 1971
OF 111500Z DECEMBER 85
INFO ROUTINE PEKING
62 63 64 6
W
MY 5 IPTS: HONG KONG AGREEMENT: RESTRICTED: ANNUAL REPORT TO
PARLIAMENT
FOLLOWING IS REMAINDER OF TEXT OF ANNUAL REPORT
BEGINS
VIII. SECURITY
51.
HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT HAS ANNOUNCED THAT IT WILL BE WITHDRAWING THE SECOND BATTALION 7TH GURKHA RIFLES FROM HONG KONG IN 1987, AND THAT THE BATTALION WILL BE DISBANDED LEAVING A GARRISON OF ONE BRITISH AND THREE GURKHA BATTALIONS. THIS IS A REDUCTION TO 1980 LEVELS. THE SECOND BATTALION 7TH GURKHA RIFLES WAS RAISED AT THAT TIME AS A STOP-GAP MEASURE TO DEAL WITH INCREASED ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, HAS ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT IT WILL NOT BE PROCEEDING WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE
KOHIMA BARRACKS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
52. NOTWITHSTANDING THE OVERALL REDUCTION IN ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBERS ATTEMPTING TO ENTER HONG KONG ILLEGALLY IN MIDDLE AND LATE 1985. ARRESTS FOR THIS PERIOD AVERAGED 1,250 PERSONS PER MONTH, THAT IS 30 PERCENT UP ON THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR, OR APPROXIMATELY 15 PERCENT OF THE LEVEL IN 1979. THE REASONS FOR THE INCREASE APPEAR TO BE RUMOURS OF AN AMNESTY AND DECREASED LEVELS OF BORDER SECURITY DUE TO THE RECENT
1
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