TNAG-0038-FCO40-74-Border-incidents-with-China-1967 — Page 140

CONFIDENTIAL

INWARD TELEGRAM

19

COPY FOR REGISTRATION

TO THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

(The Secretary of State)

FROM HONG KONG (O.A.G.)

27a

JUL

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12

10

Cypher

RICARD

D. 27 July 1967

AROM

R. 27

0902Z

26 JULIJUÍ

PRIORITY

CONFIDENTIAL

No.1119

HWA 4/1

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RF

Addressed to Commonwealth Office (D.T.D.) Repeated

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Rawalpindi No.M.486 (Please pass)

Rawalpindi telegram No.807 and your telegram No.1550.

The present strength of the Pakistani contingent is 147. In normal conditions personnel are employed on general mobile and foot patrols, as well as traffic duties throughout the New Territories police district. They have no special responsibilities in the frontier areas. They also provide guards for the gunpowder depot on Green Island at the western entrance of the harbour. When the police force mobilises for emergency or riot suppression duties the Pakistani contingent provides two platoons for the New Territories H.Q. Company; the third platoon consists of Chinese personnel. In this role the H.Q. Company has no specific task in the frontier area and is available for deploying throughout the New Territories district and if required as reinforcement in the urban district. It is held as district reserve at Fanling three miles from the border and the Pakistani platoons are carrying out normal police duties in the vicinity.

2. At present the army are responsible for the security of the frontier between Lo Wu and Sha Tau Kok with other N.T. police formations forward in support. Unless the situation there deteriorates it is not envisaged that the H.Q. Company will relieve these.

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3. We expect the present restless situation on the frontier to continue and the Army will remain primarily responsible for its security until we are satisfied that conditions justify reversion to police control. But there will always be a threat of an attack by the Chinese on police units on the frontier. therefore, considering ways and means of ensuring that the circumstances of Sha Tau Kok will not (be) repeated; detailed consideration will be given to such matters as provision of heavier armament, resiting of police posts to strategic positions and the formation of a special frontier unit.

4. Use of the Pakistani contingent on the frontier cannot be ruled out and it would be unacceptable for all concerned if we decided now for political or other reasons to exclude their operating at the frontier in all circumstances. For the foreseeable future, however, the police will not be exposed independently to attacks from Chinese territory.

(Passed as requested)

(Passed to DSAO for advance copies for F.E. Dept. Foreign Office Mr. Glover News Dept., Commonwealth Office and Private Office

for Commonwealth Secretary)

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CONFIDENTIAL

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