SECRET UK EYES A LOCSEN
operating each day and there was a great deal of corruption amongst the
Chinese security authorities, which increased the potential for
confrontation with the security forces. The garrison were discreetly
involved in support of RHKP anti-smuggling operations and the RN Patrol Craft in particular were proving their worth in the task of deterring
incursions and gathering evidence for use in official protests.
10. CBF HK also mentioned the excellent work carried out by the Patrol
Craft and RAF SAR helicopters when the diving vessel DB29 capsized last
August. 179 survivors had been plucked from the sea. The Garrison had
also deployed a mixed Chinese/Gurkha Transport squadron to the UN in
Cyprus for 6 months, and most recently a Queens Gurkha Engineer Troop had
just returned from disaster relief in Western Samoa.
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11. The MOD perspective was given by AUS (C), who began by saying that the year had been one of considerable progress. The Hong Kong Patrol Craft issue had been satisfactorily concluded except perhaps from a Treasury perspective. Good progress had been made on the issue of
Vietnamese Migrants and the announcement had been made about the first
reduction of the size of the Garrison (amalgamation of 1/2 and 2/2 GR) and the 1991 Review of the Withdrawal Plan had been approved.
12.
AUS (C) said that there was one issue which was not satisfactory; the
Nationality Act/Right of abode. Both LEP and LEC deserved more
passports. Defence Ministers continued to press the Home Secretary for more favourable treatment but the response had been unsatisfactory. The difficulty lay in getting Parliamentary approval; although the Home
Secretary had undertaken to re-visit the matter when decisions were taken
on the 2nd tranche. It would be critical to future handling of the
problem to know just how the LEP were reacting to the lack of passports
and whether they were leaving the Service early.
LOCSEN
UK EYES A SECRET