TNAG-0308-FCO40-344-Contributions-of-Hong-Kong-for-costs-of-maintaining-military-1971 — Page 115

5.

So far as the obligation of HMG to defend colonial territories against internal and external threats is concerned (paragraph 6 of the Unofficials' Memorandum), I think that ODC (60)4 (Final)

Role

of the Colonial Territories in Peace and War - is still the best statement of the position. Paragraph 16 states that "in principle Colonial territories should be responsible for their own internal . security" although (paragraph 17) "British garrisons may, however, have to be maintained in certain territories to assist in ensuring internal security and local defence".

6. Paragraph 25 of the ODC paper defines financial responsibilities as follows:

7.

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a) Colonial Governments should be expected to bear the cost

of maintaining internal security and that, should assistance from United Kingdom funds be necessary in individual cases, appropriate provision should be made in the Colonial Services Vote.

(b) If it is necessary in the interests of Commonwealth

Defence generally to maintain Colonial forces beyond the scale required for internal security the additional cost involved would normally have to be met from United Kingdom Defence Votes; this should not preclude those Colonial Governments which are able to meet their own internal security costs from being asked, or offering, to make contributions towards the cost of Commonwealth Defence generally.

(c)

In addition Colonial Governments should aim at assuming

full financial responsibility for local defence though, where necessary, assistance would be given as in (a) above. Where special strategic interests warrant such a step Her Majesty's Government would agree to meet the costs from United Kingdom Defence Votes.

I am afraid that we have nothing to contribute in reply to the point made in paragraph 11 of the Unofficials' Memorandum on the statement made by Mr. Heath in January 1970 about the value to Britain of our investments in the Far East, which justified the maintenance of a permanent military presence in South East Asia. However, this does not seem very relevant in the context of Hong Kong, where there has never been any question of our withdrawing the British garrison, since the remark was clearly directed to demonstrating a UK national interest in maintaining a military presence in Malaysia and Singapore, from which the previous government had intended to withdraw British forces.

8.

I am copying this letter to Brack (Treasury) and Smith (DOE).

Yours sincerely, Geoffrey

Ofiar