D/Sec (0) (C) 6/7
25 May 1993
APS/Secretary of State
copy to: MA/Minister (AF)
PS/US of S
DPSO/CDS
PS/PUS
MA/CGS
MA/VCDS
MA/DCDS (C)
ACDS (0)
AUS (C)
AUS (GF)
SECRET
71
HKA 063/1
26 MAY 1993
va athemat
ра
Mr Buten,
Advicepl
vers/s
F
1
AUS (Prog)
DO (FEW)
DMO
Head of RP (Army) Head of GS Sec GF (Pol) 1
Press Secretary
Special Adviser DPO
HQBF Hong Kong
FCO (Hong Kong Dept)
HONG KONG GARRISON: DEPLOYMENT OF GURKHA BATTALION TO BELIZE
1. Following the Governor's agreement, set out in the attached telegram, to our proposals for the reduction of the land element of the Hong Kong garrison to a single battalion, we have work in hand on the production of an OPD (K) memorandum which should be put to Ministers in early June. The Governor has also agreed that one of the Gurkha battalions in Hong Kong should be deployed on an emergency tour to Belize from October 93 to March 94. This is unconnected to our overall plans for the future of the garrison and we should now get on with making the necessary arrangements.
2. The FCO and we believe it would be appropriate to inform the Chinese, in a low key manner, in advance of our plan becoming public. We intend to do this through the existing JLG links in Hong Kong. That would be followed the next day by a routine news release from HQBF Hong Kong, based on the attached draft text and Q&A material. The same material could be used defensively by the DPO in London. The units concerned (3 Para, who were originally slated for the Belize tour, and 2 GR) would be informed on the day before the press release.
3.
This general approach has been agreed with the FCO and representatives of the Hong Kong government. In order to forestall unhelpful leaks (rumours of the proposal are already circulating in the Hong Kong press) we should get on with this
SECRET