CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 10010OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 1290
OF 09093OZ JULY 90
CONFIDENTIAL
131757
MDHOAN 2116
HKC 062 15
RECEIVER IN
1 1 JUL 1990
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM PAUL, HKD
FUTURE OF THE GURKHAS IN HONG KONG
1.
ALTHOUGH THE PRIME MINISTER GAVE YOU A PRETTY CATEGORICAL ASSURANCE ABOUT THE GURKHAS DURING YOUR CALL ON 29 JUNE, IT HAS BEEN AGREED THAT IT WOULD STILL BE WORTH WRITING TO THE MOD AT MINISTERIAL LEVEL TO REGISTER OUR CONCERNS.
2. THE LETTER WOULD OF COURSE INCLUDE A REFERENCE TO YOUR MEETINGS WITH THE PRIME MINISTER, QUOTING THE RECORD OF WHAT SHE TOLD YOU (NAMELY: QUOTE WE COULD NOT ALLOW THE HONG KONG COMMITMENT TO BE CHANGED, OR FORCES RUN DOWN BEYOND WHAT HAD ALREADY BEEN AGREED FOR THE PERIOD BETWEEN NOW AND 1997. UNQUOTE). IN ADDITION, IT WOULD NEED TO SET OUT THE SERIOUS MORALE, OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS IN HONG KONG, SHOULD THERE BE ANY GOING BACK ON THE COMMITMENT ALREADY GIVEN IN RESPECT OF THE GURKHAS.
IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THE LETTER COVERS THE HONG KONG ANGLE FULLY, I SHOULD BE MOST GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD LET ME HAVE
3
A SUITABLE PASSAGE ON THE IMPLICATIONS FOR HONG KONG FOR INCLUSION IN THE LETTER. A REPLY DESKBY 101200Z WOULD BE HELPFUL.
HURD
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
16
LIMITED
HKD
MR MCLAREN
NNN N
DISTRIBUTION
16
MR BURNS
PAGE 1 CONFIDENTIAL
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