HOURAM.
SECRET UK EYES A LOCSEN
43. If the concept of advancing the major review to 1991 is endorsed by the
COS, it will be necessary to consult with the HKG on the issue because the ori-
ginal call for such a review came from the Executive Council. It is also rele-
vant that the Chinese have been informed that the major review will take place
in 1992; it will therefore be necessary to advise the PRCG, through the medium
of the JLG, of any timescale revision.
expand
GARRISON TITLE
44. CDS 7/87 introduced the concept of the title "Sovereign Force Hong Kong"
for the Hong Kong garrison in order to meet the need to signal British
sovereignty and HMG's continuing political commitment to the Territory
throughout the phased withdrawal. However, the FCO have expressed concern about
formal or public adoption of this title. The FCO have made the point that the
garrison has had responsibility for demonstration of British sovereignty over
the Territory for well over a century without resort to any special title. They
have observed, that it would not be readily explicable why HMG should choose to
make the point less than a decade before relinquishing sovereignty. They
suggest that the Hong Kong public would find it richly ironic and that the
Chinese, who have never acknowledged British sovereignty over Hong Kong would be
perplexed and irritated by a gesture they would perhaps interpret as provoca-
tion. For these reasons, it is proposed that the term "Sovereign Force Hong
Kong" be discarded and that the garrison retain the title "Hong Kong Garrison"
until the final handover.
ROW 113 (HONG)
27
SECRET UK EYES A LOCSEN