TNAG-0307-FCO40-343-Costs-of-extra-services-provided-by-armed-forces-of-UK-in-Ho-1971 — Page 61

HKK 10/5

G J Gammon Esq

Ministry of Defence

Main Building Whitehall

SW1

CONFIDENTIAL

1 March 1971

1. Will you please refer to your letter No. A/16/ABD/5712/ Fid(Air) of 28 January about the extra costs of certain works services carried out during the 1967 disturbances in Hong Kong. We have studied very carefully the facts and the arguments put forward by your Command Secretary in Hong Kong and which you have quoted in your letter.

2.

The salient factors appear to us to be as follows:

(1)

Under the current defence contribution agreement the Hong Kong Government are responsible for the maintenance of military buildings and installations required for a force of 4 major units, and their support, needed for internal security purposes.

(2) The works carried out by the Army in 1967

in connection with "Highland Bonnet" were, we are informed, essentially of a military nature and designed to meet armed aggression across the border. They were (quite rightly) carried out without consultation with the Hong Kong Government and they were not covered by (1) above.

(3)

As a result of the 1967 disturbances the Hong Kong Government decided that a more permanent military presence was required on the border, for internal security as well as for external defence purposes. This decision led to the initiative for operation "Spring Clean" and to the undertaking contained in the paper "Implementation of Border Policy" of March 1968 whereby the Hong Kong Government accepted responsibility for the maintenance of all buildings required for operational reasons in the

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1

CONFIDENTIAL

/border area.