SECRET
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DP 31/70(C)(Flimsy Draft) (Continued)
in Singapore or Brunci to Hong Kong within the specified period. Brunei airport will be capable of handling long range transport aircraft by November 1971. Plans would be prepared to meet the
contingency. If a small medium range transport force is
cventually stationed in SE Asia it would give the Royal Air Force an added measure of flexibility in their plans and could probably hasten the arrival of the leading company in Hong Kong.
Other Factors
13.
Although one battalion could be moved within the stipulated reinforcement period, there are other factors which have to be
taken into account.
These are:
did they say this except respect of
SEATO?
Mr.
Political Constraints.
The double carmarking of units
to meet a commitment to reinforce Hong Kong would probably
be unpopular with most of the other Commonwealth
governments concerned.
The Malaysian Government have
indicated that they would not wish any UK forces associated with a Five Power defence arrangement in SE Asia to have additional commitments clsewhere, but that their
objections would be reduced if the forces concerned were
stationed outside Malaysia, The Sultan of Brunei would be
concerned lest there should be any gap in the support to
his regime provided by the stationed Gurkha battalion
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