ATTENTION NEWS EDITORS
40 DEC 102
THE DEPUTY DEFENCE SECRETARY, MR. P.B. WILLIAMS, SAID TONIGHT THAT THERE WOULD BE NO SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE IN THE SIZE OF THE ARMY GARRISON IN HONG KONG AFTER THE RUNDOWN OF GURKHA TROOPS IN SINGAPORE IN 1971.
M THE COURSE OF A RADIO INTERVIEW HE WAS ASKED WHETHER HONG KONG WOULD HAVE TO PAY A BIGGER BILL AS A RESULT OF THE PROPOSED INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF TROOPS HERE.
HR. WILLIANS POINTED OUT THAT HONG KONG WOULD RECEIVE ONLY ONE BATTALION OF GURKHAS, THAT IS, ONLY ABOUT 700 MEN. HE SAID THAT THIS HAD BEEN STATED IN JULY THIS YEAR BY THE VICE-CHIEF OF THE BRITISH DEFENCE STAFF; AND THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGE.
AS TO WHETHER HONG KONG WOULD HAVE TO PAY MORE FOR THE ADDITIONAL BATTALION, MR. WILLIAMS SAID THAT THIS WOULD BE A MATTER FOR NEGOTIATION BETWEEN THE HONG KONG AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS BEFORE THE END OF THE CURRENT AGREEMENT WHICH EXPIRES IN 1971.
HE POINTED OUT THAT IT COSTS THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT 260 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR TO MAINTAIN A GARRISON IN HONG KONG.
"OF THIS AMOUNT," HE SAID, "THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS AGREED TO PAY ANNUALLY 80 MILLION DOLLARS FOR FOUR YEARS ENDING IN 1970/71, THAT IS, ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF THE TOTAL COST EACH YEAR."
PART OF THE 80 MILLION DOLLARS GOES TOWARDS SUPPORTING THE PRESENT GURKHA BRIGADE HERE, CONSISTING OF ABOUT 3,000 OFFICERS AND HEN; AND THE REMAINDER COVERS THE WHOLE COST OF MAINTAINING THE NAVY, THE REST OF THE ARMY AND THE AIR FORCE.
"AS YOU CAN SEE, #1 HR. WILLIAMS CONTINUED, AN INCREASE OF 700 MEN IS A VERY SHALL PROPORTION OF THE WHOLE."
TIME: 1807 HOURS
DATE: 30TH DECEMBER
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