HKD-
Ps/bord Cathness
PS/POS
SVJ
coles
m Burns
FCS/92/001
DEFENCE SECRETARY
SECRET
i Gouden
M Smith, NADD Miss Brooks, Legal Advises
dow
611
Mr. Gr
ли
M
Miv
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Good
Hong Kong : Commander British Forces (CBF)
on the Executive Council
1. David Gillmore and Michael Quinlan have exchanged
letters on the position of the CBF on the Governor's Executive Council in Hong Kong. The Governor believes that in the new more political atmosphere in Hong Kong the continued presence of CBF on ExCo will increasingly be seen in Hong Kong as an anachronism. ExCo itself is becoming increasingly politicised, and does not generally discuss security matters which are normally dealt with
by the Governor's Security Committee. It would also make it easier for the PLA to claim a place on the Chief
Executive's ExCo after 1997 if CBF remained.
Michael Quinlan's letter of 11 December asked the
Governor to review the proposal that the position of CBF
on ExCo should end when General Duffell leaves his post in spring 1992.
2.
We and the Governor have reconsidered the proposal in
the light of Michael Quinlan's letter. We conclude that,
difficult though it is, this is the best time to make
such a move: that it is in Hong Kong's interests to do
so: and that other effective ways exist to keep CBF fully abreast of policy thinking in Hong Kong.
SECRET
/3.