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

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In the planners discussion on the paper I recognised there was some force in the M.0.D's. view that the cost of aircraft which

had no military but only political justification should not fall

on the Defence budget, but indicated that the Commonwealth Office

could not accept it was within the scope of this paper to say where outside the Defence budget the responsibility should lie

(as between H.M.G. and Hong Kong). This view was generally

accepted.

I argued somewhat similarly in respect of the additional cost of the MCMs., but in doing so did not concede that there was a good

case for regarding it as falling outside the Defence budget. There was some support at our meeting for the view that the role of the

MCMs. was not so very different from that of the Army units, i.e.,

they had a defence role as well as an internal security role.

I therefore argued that their cost fell to be treated in exactly

the same way as the cost of the Army units and, insofar as there might be a charge to be made by the Hong Kong Government, it would fall to be assessed in the context of the defence contribution which

was due for reassessment in March 1971. This argument the M.O.D.

would not accept, they seemed to be obsessed with the idea that the

MCMS. had primarily an i.s. role.

met

In my view our line in C.0.S. on this question of costs should

be as follows :

(a)

The aircraft are essentially a political not a military requirement and we cannot dissent from the view that their

cost should not be met from the Defence budget. But (with respect) it is not for C.0.S. to say where that cost

should fall outside the Defence budget.

(b) We see the role of the MCMS as comparable to that of the Army units partly to deter andidentifi military

intru si on, partly an i.s. role. Like the Army units,

we consider their cost should form part of the Defence

budget.

(c) Hong Kong's contribution to the cost of the military

forces in the Colony takes the form of an annual defence

contribution. The current contribution runs until

March 1971 and will accordingly be due for reassessment

shortly before that date; that would seem to be an appropriate time to consider what additional contribution,

if any, Hong Kong should make to defence costs, having

regard to the increased level to which the forces there

will be raised at about that time.

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