اشه
SECRET
163761
MDLIAN 2642
SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 1185
OF 06070OZ APRIL 90
INFO PRIORITY MODUK, HQBF HONG KONG
SIC
TELNO UN OF 200830Z MARCH: ROYAL NAVY PRESENCE IN HONG KONG
1. WE ARE CONCERNED THAT THE RATIONALE FOR THE PROPOSALS IN TUR IS BASED ON A NUMBER OF DOUBTFUL ASSUMPTIONS, AND THAT MOD SEEM TO HAVE TAKEN INSUFFICIENT ACCOUNT OF THE VIEWS OUTLINED IN THE PAPER (ESPECIALLY PARAS 10 AND 11) ENCLOSED WITH BARNES' LETTER TO PAUL, HKD OF 27 NOVEMBER 1989.
2. IT IS MISLEADING FOR MOD TO SUGGEST THAT THE 1988 DCA WAS DRAWN UP AND AGREED ON THE BASIS OF THE 1987 WITHDRAWAL PLAN. WHILST THE WITHDRAWAL PLANNING SEQUENCE THEN ENVISAGED FOR ALL THREE SERVICES (TOGETHER WITH THE EXPANSION PROPOSALS FOR MARINE POLICE (MARPOL), ETC) PROVIDED A FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH THE NEGOTIATIONS TOOK PLACE, AT NO TIME WAS A DIRECT LINKAGE MADE BETWEEN THE LEVEL OF COST APPORTIONMENT BETWEEN HMG AND HKG, AND SPECIFIED WITHDRAWAL DATES FOR UNITS AND FORMATIONS. IN ANY EVENT, THE 1987 WITHDRAWAL PLAN NOTED THAT (PARA 54): ''OUR OPTIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF THESE 3 PATROL CRAFT IN HONG KONG WILL REMAIN WIDER, AND WE WILL PRESERVE FLEXIBILITY, IF WE DEFER A DECISION ON THIS SUBJECT UNTIL 1990. BY THAT DATE, CLEARER ASSESSMENTS OF THE NEED FOR A RN PRESENCE AND OF THE RISKS OF WITHDRAWAL MAY BE POSSIBLE''.
3. WE DO NOT ACCEPT THE MOD ASSESSMENT THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE IN THE MILITARY POSITION SINCE THE 1987 WITHDRAWAL PLAN WAS PREPARED NOR THAT THE NEED TO RETAIN A RN PRESENCE IN HONG KONG IS FOR POLITICAL REASONS ONLY. DURING THE TRANSITION PERIOD, AN OPERATIONAL RN PRESENCE IS REQUIRED TO UPHOLD SOVEREIGNTY AND MAINTAIN TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY BY COUNTERING ANY POSSIBLE EROSION OF HONG KONG'S SEA BORDERS BY CHINESE INCURSIONS, PARTICULARLY WHERE MARPOL ON ITS OWN MIGHT HAVE DIFFICULTY IN COPING EFFECTIVELY. GIVEN THE FREQUENCY AND SERIOUSNESS OF RECENT INCURSIONS, THERE IS NO ROOM FOR COMPLACENCY. THE BIRD CLASS VESSELS ARE UNSUITABLE BECAUSE THEY WOULD BE UNABLE EFFECTIVELY TO FULFIL THE ROLE FOR WHICH THE PEACOCKS WERE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED
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