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MINISTRY OF DEFENCE UK. EYES
CHIEFS OF STAFF COMMITTEE
CONFIDENTIAL ANNEX
TO
COS 44TH MEETING/67, HELD ON TUESDAY
HONG KONG
6TH JUNE 1967 AT 3.00 pm
FORCE LEVELS
ONLY
(Previous Reference: COS 12th Meeting/67, Minute 2)
The Committee had before them a Secretary's minute (1) covering a draft submission to the Secretary of State on force levels for the garrison of Hong Kong.
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SIR RICHARD HULL said that at their meeting (2) on 16th December 1966 they had reaffirmed their view that, on military grounds, the garrison of Hong Kong should remain unchanged at 63 major units. On 19th December 1966 the Defence and Oversea Policy Committee had decided (3), for political reasons, that the garrison of Hong Kong would be reduced by one major unit, and the Secretary of State had sought (4) their advice on the best way of achieving this reduction. They had advised (5) the Secretary of State that, although they still could not recommend any reduction of the force levels in Hong Kong, if a reduction by one major unit had to be made the least damaging course, militarily, would be to withdraw the Artillery Regiment, less one battery, and the Pack Transport Squadron. In his note (6) the Secretary of State had agreed this course of action. No final decision on the timing of the announcement of the withdrawals or of the withdrawals themselves had yet been made. These were due to be discussed this month, when it was hoped that the Defence and Oversea Policy Committee would be able to make a final decision. If the proposed withdrawals were to be carried out as planned, by 31st March 1968, a firm decision would have to be made by the end of September 1967.
They would have seen the signal (7) from the Commander- in-Chief, Far East, which took into account the views of the Notes:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
COS 1489/2/6/67.
COS 67th Meeting/66, Minute 10.
OPD (66) 49th Meeting, Item 4.
MO 5/14 dated 22nd December 1966. N 113/01 dated 9th March 1967.
MO 5/14, Part II dated 18th April 1967. SEACOS 72.
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