CONFIDENTIAL
Кам
'LOUSE MINUTE
CDS (0)/181/38
24 May 1993
Hd of Sec (0) (C)
Copy to:
ACDS (Ops/Sy)
ACNS
HKA 063/1 RECLIVE
EGISTRY
02 JUN 1993
ACGS
ACAS
AUS (Prog)
AUS (GF)
CBF Hong Kong
FCO (Hong Kong Dept)
DO (FEW)
DESK OFFICER INDEX
REGISTRY
PA
Action Taken
AD (FE)
HONG KONG - THE FUTURE OF THE BRITISH GARRISON
Reference:
A.
67
Your D/Sec(0)(C) 6/7 dated 19 May 93.
1 Thank you for the opportunity to provide comment on Reference A above.
2.
In reponse to your specific question on the need or otherwise for a formal change to CBF Hong Kong's CDS Directive, there will clearly be a need for the Directive (CDS 44/88) to be amended in due course. However, you may be aware that it has for some time been our intention to amend CDS 44/88 from Sep 93 and by Apr 94, in order to take account of the new standardized format for CBF8' directives, and in the knowledge of the outdatedness of aspects of the extant document, as well as to take specific account of the significant changes to the shape and size of the Garrison that it had always been anticipated would apply from late 1994. In view of this, I am content that there is no urgent requirement to replace the existing Directive, and that it is sufficiently general to cover the period up to the adoption of a one battalion
one battalion Garrison and concept of operations. I propose, therefore, that the reference to a need to produce an amendment to the Directive at paragraph 7 of the draft OPD (K) paper be deleted, on the understanding that this will in any case be achieved by Apr 94 in the course of
of currently planned routine staff work.
3.
I have the following additional comments on the paper:
a
Paragraph 3. The period during which the land element of the Garrison will be on roulement tours will be in excess of 6 months, and possibly as long as 9 months. I propose that the second sentence be replaced by: "For a period of up to nine months to 30 Jun 97, the land element of the Garrison is planned to be provided by a single UK battalion. This will be
1
CONFIDENTIAL
74