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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1975
JOINT STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THE UNITED KINGDOM MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
* * * * *
DISCUSSIONS ARE PROCEEDING BETWEEN THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ADOUT THE FUTURE FORCE LEVEL APPROPRIATE FOR HONG KONG IN THE LONG TERM AND ITS FINANCING.
THE OUTCOME OF THESE DISCUSSIONS WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN DUE COURSE AND EMBODIED IN A NEW DEFENCE COSTS AGREEMENT, VILIGH WILL RUN FROM 1ST APRIL 1976.
MEANWHILE BOTH GOVERNMENTS ARE AGREED THAT EARLY REDUCTIONS CAN BE MADE IN THE LEVEL OF THE GARRISON IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRESENT DEFENCE COSTS AGREEMENT. ACCORDINGLY ELEMENTS AMOUNTING TO APPROXIMATELY ONE MAJOR UNIT WILL BE WITHDRAWN DURING THE NEXT 18 MONTHS,
THESE ARE -
ROYAL NAVY. SOME SMALL REDUCTION IN NAVAL STRENGTH AND SUPPORT.
ARMY.
THE WITHDRAWAL OF C SQUADRON, 1 ROYAL TANK REGIMENT AND 20 LIGHT REGIMENT, ROYAL ARTILLERY, LESS ONE BATTERY. AT THE SAME TIME A NUMBER OF RELATED REORGANISATIONAL MEASURES ARE TO BE CARRIED OUT WHICH WILL RESULT IN THE DISDANDMENT OF 54 (HONG KONG) SUPPORT SQUADRON, ROYAL ENGINEERS AND 414 PACK TRANSPORT TROC?, ROYAL CORPS OF TRANSPORT. 415 MARITIME TROOP, ROYAL CORPS OF TRANSPORT, WILL DE REDUCED IN STRENGTH. TOGETHER WITH THESE MEASURES THERE WILL DE CONSEQUENT REDUCTIONS IN SUPPORTING SERVICES AND IN HEADQUARTERS.
ROYAL AIR FORCE. THERE WILL DE SOME REDUCTIONS IN THE
STRENGTH OF RAF KAI TAK.
THESE ECONOMIES IN SERVICE MANPOWER WILL LEAD TO A REDUCTION OF ABOUT 200 LOCALLY ENLISTED PERSONNEL AND 300 LOCALLY ENLISTED CIVILIANS. REDUNDANCY TERMS FOR LOCALLY ENLISTED CIVILIANS WILL BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH EXISTING REGULATIONS.
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