CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 28
OF 041658Z JANUARY 89
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG INFO PRIORITY MODUK
HKCO62
h
B
132521
MDHOAN 1965
MODUK FOR MR POLLARD, SEC (o) (c)(3)
PEKING TELNO 1990, OUR TELNOS 8 AND 9 AND YOUR TELNO 034 DEFENCE AND PUBLIC ORDER: WITHDRAWAL OF THE GARRISON
FIRST TUR: WE AGREE THAT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO CONFIRM TO THE CHINESE THAT WE WILL KEEP THEM INFORMED NEARER THE TIME
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OF THE RELEVANT DECISIONS WHICH WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE
MINISTERIAL STATEMENT. WE SUGGEST THAT THIS SHOULD BE A POINT TO MAKE
WHEN HANDING OVER THE PAPER.
2.
FOURTH TUR:
(A) PARA 2(A): WE ARE CONTENT WITH YOUR PROPOSED AMENDMENT:
(B) PARA 2(B): YOUR ASSUMPTION IS CORRECT. BUT ON RE-READING PARAS 6 AND 7 OF THE DRAFT PAPER, WE BELIEVE THEY WOULD BE CLEARER AS FOLLOWS:
BEGINS
6.
THE BRIGADE OF GURKHAS INCLUDES IN ALL FIVE INFANTRY BATTALIONS, THREE OF WHICH ARE STATIONED IN HONG KONG. THERE HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLE SPECULATION ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE BRIGADE AFTER 1997 WHEN THERE WILL BE NO BRITISH FORCES IN HONG KONG. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IS UNDERTAKING A REVIEW OF THE FUTURE OF THE BRIGADE OF GURKHAS IN THE BRITISH ARMY. THEY EXPECT THAT THE RESULT OF THE REVIEW WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN ABOUT MARCH 1989.
7. SPECULATION ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE BRIGADE HAS GENERATED CONSIDERABLE UNCERTAINTY WHICH COULD, IF IT REMAINED UNRESOLVED, HAVE AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON MORALE AMONG THE GURKHAS AND ON THEIR
ABILITY TO PERFORM THEIR DUTIES EFFECTIVELY IN HONG KONG AND ELSEWHERE. FOR THIS REASON THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT INTEND THAT
THE STATEMENT TO BE MADE IN ABOUT MARCH 1989 ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE GURKHAS SHOULD INCLUDE AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE FIRST GURKHA BATTALION FROM HONG KONG IN MID-1992 AND ITS DISPOSITION AFTER THAT DATE. ONE OPTION WOULD BE TO RE-DEPLOY THE BATTALION CONCERNED. ANOTHER WOULD BE THAT THE BATTALION SHOULD
BE DISBANDED. IN EITHER EVENT
THERE WILL NEED TO BE AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON ITS FUTURE IN THE
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CONFIDENTIAL