FROM:
RP HATFIELD
-
SECRET UK EYES A LOCSEN
Head of Secretariat (Overseas) (Commitment)
30
ET MON
CO Hum Esq
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
Main Building, Whitehall, London SWIA 2HB
Telephone (Direct Dialling) 01-218
(Switchboard) 01-218 9000
Head of Hong Kong Department Foreign and Commonwealth Office London
SW1
гул
一
6144 MKC 062/_
27 JAN 1989 D/See(0)(C)/6/7
17 January 1989
Dear
Chrityle
HONG KONG GARRISON WITHDRAWAL PLAN (CDS 7/87) FIRST REVISE SECOND DRAFT
N
Mr Fortmon
2411
enter
W/241.
Thank you for sending me a copy of your letter of 13 January to Alan Hicks.
If I may say so, I strongly support the points you make about the title "Sovereign Force" and the senitivity of a possible reinforcement exercise in 1992, and I have made similar points to DROW myself. I also agree with your views on the need for careful timing and presentation of any reinforcement exercise. I do, however, have some reservations concerned with your pro- posed pattern of consultation with the HKG.
I am quite content with the proposal to send the Governor a copy of the revise plan in draft on a personal basis; indeed, I would regard him as entitled to no less by virtue of his position as Commandier-in-Chief. I am also content with the proposal to furnish EXCO with a sanitised version of the review if they ask to see it. I am not quite happy, however, with the notion of sending EXCO a summary of the review if the implication is that they would have some say on the military dispositions that it is proposed should be made; it must surely be a well-established principle that such matters are for HMG to decide on.
It may be that I am being over-sensitive, and that what you have in mind is simply to notify EXCO of the results of the review after it has taken place and been approved by Ministers. If so I would of course have no objection to an appropriate form of words being constructed.
I would be happy to have a word on the telephone if you wish.
Copy: Air Cdre A G Hicks,
DROW
R
SECRET UK EYES A LOCSEN