TNAG-0308-FCO40-344-Contributions-of-Hong-Kong-for-costs-of-maintaining-military-1971 — Page 131

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No.51

29 mm 1971

HKK10/9

Mr. Urwick

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Reference...

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Mr Jamunara

Hong Kong Dept.

Hong Kong Rext

Mr. Mc Enime, c.c.p.

HONG KONG DEFENCE CONTRIBUTION,

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I agree fully with Mr Thomas' views

This

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Mr. Gaminara's minute of 4 March requests comments on the representations made by the unofficial members to the Governor of Hong Kong about the Hong Kong Defence Contribution (Hong Kong Telegram No. 134 of 27 February to FCO).

ODC (64)3 Para-

2. With the assistance of Mr. Wickson, I have unearthed the attached Top Secret Cabinet Office document: (Role of Colonial Territories in Peace and War). graphs 3 and 24 of ODC (64)3 make it clear that it has long been established British Government doctrine that Colonial Governments should be expected to bear the cost of maintaining internal security and that should assistance from the United Kingdom funds be necessary in individual cases, appropriate provision should be made in the Colonial Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Vote.

3. I do not believe that in any of the discussions with Treasury/Ministry of Defence Controu on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have ever seriously disputed this Whitehall doctrine. The FCO argument, as I understand it, has always been that the internal security threat in Hong Kong is largely the product of external pressures exerted by mainland China. The internal security threat in Hong Kong is therefore too closely related to external defence an imperial responsibility) for the whole burden of the I.S. cost of maintaining a large garrison to be borne by the Hong Kong Government.

4. I cannot believe that the Ministry of Defence/ Treasury will move an inch on the question of financial doctrine. Unless the unofficial members can therefore be persuaded to abandon their objection in principle towards contributing to the Internal Security costs of the Army Garrison, the renegotiation of the Hong Kong Defence contribution is likely to be very difficult.

5. It may be relevant to note that the Bermudan Government which also makes a defence contribution to the British Exchequer is being asked to reimburse HMG the cost of military assistance in IS situations given in 1968 and 1969. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is in correspondence with the Ministry of Defence and the Bermudan Government about this at the moment.

6. The Hong Kong unofficial members contend (paragraph 5) that Hong Kong's other financial commitments in the years ahead must be taken into account when estimating the size of their defence contribution. They have a point here, but maintenance of law and order (internal

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