TNAG-0252-FCO40-288-Strength-of-Hong-Kong-garrison-1970 — Page 5

мот

bis

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

Registry No.

DEPARTMENT

HKK 10/1

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

Iop>Statex

Secret

Confidential

PRIORITY MARKINGS

Bach

Page

(Date)

•

Despatched

Date and time (G.M.T.) telegram should

reach addressee(s).

24/10 1145

PRIVACY MARKING

-In-Confidence

Bry Clair

Code

Cypher

Draft Telegram to:-

Governor Hong

715

Kong

No.

(Date)

And to:-

Priority

R

[Se

Security classification -if any

tion]

SECRET

231452

1

Privacy marking -if any

[Codeword—if any]

Addressed to

telegram N...............

And to

2

GOVERNOR, HONG KON

23/10 repeated for information to

(date)

a

Saving to..

Your telegram No. 726.

Repeat to:-

Saving to:-

Distribution:—

Files

Copies to:-

HKD

Defence Dept. F.E.D.

News Dept. MOD(Internal)

Mr.C.E.Johnson,

D.S.6, MOD.

Sir L. Monson

Hong Kong Garrison

Publication of White Paper on 28

October will be accompanied by introductory statements

in both Houses of Parliament by Secretary of State

and Minister of State for Defence respectively. No

reference will be made, either in White Paper

or in statements, to decision not to increase Hong

Kong Garrison by an extra infantry battalion at end

1971;

and we are recommending that the replies to

any questions on this point, whether in Parliament

or from the press, should be confined to saying

no more than that:

(a) Our continuing South East Asia presence

will not be at the expense of Force levels

in Hong Kong which will remain substantially

at their present strength.

(b) General reassessment of the situation is PED AT 23/528

Sir S.Tomlinson SIGNATURE Mr. Wilford

/regarded...

1545 23/02