CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 10120OZ FCO
TELNO 2134
OF 10084OZ JULY 90
CONFIDENTIAL
Q DIST?
5
133603
MDHIAN 8244
HKC 062/5
RECEIVED IN
0 2 AUG 1990
St
PERSONAL FOR PAUL, HKD FROM GOVERNOR
YRTELNO 1290: FUTURE OF THE GURKHAS IN HONG KONG
1. THERE IS LITTLE I CAN ADD TO WHAT I SAID TO MINISTERS IN LONDON, YOU MIGHT LIKE TO DRAW ON THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPHS.
2. MEMBERS OF THE BRIGADE OF GURKHAS, WHO CURRENTLY MAKE UP THE MAJORITY OF THE LAND FORCES BASED IN HONG KONG, SET GREAT STORE BY THE MINISTERIAL COMMITMENT THAT THERE WILL BE A ROLE FOR THE GURKHAS IN THE BRITISH ARMY AFTER 1997. SHOULD THAT COMMITMENT BE REVERSED, A SERIOUS MORALE PROBLEM WOULD DEVELOP VERY QUICKLY. THE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY OF THE GURKHAS IN HONG KONG WOULD RAPIDLY BE ERODED. THE CBF HAS ADVISED ME THAT, IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES, IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO DISBAND THE GURKHAS IN THE SHORTEST POSSIBLE
TIME. A LENGTHY PROCESS WOULD CARRY SERIOUS PENALTIES IN TERMS OF
OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY AND DISCIPLINE. I BELIEVE HE IS RIGHT IN
THIS JUDGEMENT.
3. DISBANDMENT OF UNITS EARLIER THAN ENVISAGED IN THE GARRISON
WITHDRAWAL PLAN WOULD MEAN THAT REPLACEMENT BATTALIONS WOULD BE NEEDED FROM THE U K. HONG KONG HAS AT PRESENT ONLY ONE BARRACKS DESIGNED BOTH TO ACCOMMODATE A UK BATTALION, AND WITH FULL MARRIED QUARTERS. ANY ADDITIONAL U K BATTALIONS WOULD NEED TO BE ACCOMMODATED IN GURKHA STANDARD BARRACKS AND BE UNACCOMPANIED. THIS WOULD MEAN THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE ROULEMENT BATTALIONS ON, SAY, 6 MONTH DUTY TOURS IN HONG KONG. SHORT TOURS OF THIS NATURE WOULD
INEVITABLY REDUCE THEIR OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY BELOW THAT OF THE PRESENT GURKHA UNITS, PARTLY BECAUSE OF TRAINING LIMITATIONS AND PARTLY BECAUSE OF A LACK OF LOCAL KNOWLEDGE.
4. THE COST OF A GARRISON CONSISTING ENTIRELY OF UK BATTALIONS WOULD BE CONSIDERABLY GREATER THAN THE PRESENT OR LIKELY FUTURE MIX. EVEN IF WE DID NOT BUILD EXTRA BARRACK ACCOMMODATION (WHICH
WOULD BE OUT OF THE QUESTION FOR SUCH A SHORT PERIOD) WE WOULD HAVE TO APPROACH THE LEGISLATURE FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS, EITHER WITHIN OR OUTSIDE THE CONTEXT OF THE 1988 DCA. GIVEN THE BACKGROUND OF THE
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