TNAG-0060-FCO40-96-Strength-of-Hong-Kong-garrison-1968 — Page 13

ZDP4/240/2

Dear John

SECRET

2

COPY

Foreign Office

S.W.1

24 April, 1968.

119

You asked for comments on the Annex to COS 1252/5/4/68 "Unaccompanied Tours in Hong Kong" of 5 April. I have now seen COS 1280/22/4/68 postponing consideration of this paper, You may nevertheless like to have our comments without further delay.

2. In paragraph 4 of the Annex, it states that "the Foreign Office consider that the Chinese would not take a gradual change to unaccompanied service as a sign of weakness provided it was suitably presented". We think this is probably right. However,

I can see that it is not so much the actual change to unaccompanied service but the decision of principle that Hong Kong is no longer to be a normal family station that will first come to the attention of the Chinese and of the people of the Colony. We therefore accept that it would be difficult to devise an explanation which would not have some effect on the morale of the Colony. In con- sequence, if there is to be a redraft of the Annex, we would be prepared to accept something on the following lines:

"The Foreign Office recognise that a decision of principle to change to unaccompanied service, which would be bound to become public knowledge, could well in present circumstances be represented by the Chinese as a "victory" for their campaign of last year; and that, in the face of Chinese propaganda on these lines, it might be difficult to present the decision in such a way as not to impair morale in the Colony."

3. Even from the strictly political point of view and without account being taken of the military administrative considerations which the paper rightly stresses - the problem is a difficult one. Confidence is the key factor in the Hong Kong situation and from this aspect there is much to be said for avoiding any action which might suggest that last year's events were causing us to lose our nerve. On the other hand there is force in the argument that a change to unaccompanied tours would be a useful insurance against the possibility of systematic terrorism in years to come. In the circumstances we can agree to the recommendation that a decision on the future status of the garrison should be left open at any rate until early 1969.

4. I believe that the problem is to be discussed with the Governor of Hong Kong at a meeting of the Chiefs of Staff on 30 April, and we would welcome an opportunity to comment again thereafter.

5. I am sending a copy of this letter to Carter in the Common-- wealth Office.

Major-General J.H. Gibbon, 0.B.E.,

Ministry of Defence.

You

Richard

(R.A. Sykes)

SECRET