L
LE
106998
MO 6/19/1J
PRIME MINISTER
SECRET
SECRETARY OF STATE
HKD
Ca
PS
시
157
PS/Mr Goodlat
PS/ Pus
Chief Clerk Sir J. Coles M Hum
Mr Byamen,
Advice pl. HKA
1900. 1993
Mr
Muir
RFD
NPDD
Planners
News
Special Advisers LH 12/10.
愛比園
HONG KONG: THE FUTURE OF THE BRITISH GARRISON
In my minute of 7th July, I commented on the Chancellor's proposals (his minute of 29th June) for varying the implementation of our plans to reduce the Hong Kong garrison from those proposed to OPDK. In particular, I agreed that officials should cost his proposal that, from April 1995, a UK battalion should take over the infantry component of the garrison from the Gurkha battalion, and that the latter would disband.
2.
I understand that our officials have now completed this work,
and have concluded that this proposal would save some £30m over the period 1994/95 to 1997/98 compared with the proposals put to OPDk. Given the current pressures on the Defence Budget, I do not underestimate the importance of such a saving. On the other hand, as I explained in my minute, to proceed in this way would carry major penalties in regard to the overall availability of infantry, the administration of the Gurkha rundown, and our relationship with
the Hong Kong Government. On this latter point, the Governor of Hong Kong has discussed with me more than once the severe problems
he faces with LEGCO over military costs: he has no reserve powers to
override a LEGCO rejection of estimates to meet his Government's
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