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SECRET UK EYES A LOCSEN
ANNEX A TO
D CTS STAFF (R) 74 DATED I FEB 89
HISTORICAL PROGRESSION OF STAFFING OF FIRST REVISE OP HONG KONG GARRISON WITHDRAWAL PLAN
References: A. CDS 7/87 dated 23 Feb 87.
BASIS FOR REVIEW.
1. When the Chiefs of Staff approved the Hong Kong Garrison Outline Withdrawal Plan, Reference A, they directed that it should be reviewed biennially and that the next review should be held in 1989.
HONG KONG STEERING COMMITTEE (HKSC) MEETING
2. Withdrawal Dates. To this end the HKSC met on 5 Oct 88 and defined the policy for the review of the plan. The salient decisions taken were that no changes should be recommended for the CDS 7/87 planned dates for :
a. Withdrawal of the first battalion mid 1992.
b. Withdrawal of the second battalion
C.
→
1994.
Earliest possible withdrawal of the 3 remaining PC - 1991.
helicopter
d. Reduction of Wessex and Scout forces from 8 to 6 aircraft respectively · 1989.
In addition, the HKSC agreed there was to be no change to the policy
policy for retention of a minimum of 4 operational Wessex from about 1993 onwards.
3. Future RN Presence. The most significant development was that the HKSC took due note
which
necessitated study of the ways in which an RN presence afloat in Hong Kong could be provided until the final handover.
FIRST REVISE - FIRST draft. DRAFT.
3. Against this background, the First Revise was written to reflect these decisions and was circulated
SECRET UK BYES A LOCSEN