TNAG-0477-FCO40-542-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 188

A: THERE IS A MAJOR REVIEW OF BRITISH DEFENCE ARRANGEMENTS ALL

OVER THE WORLD TAKING PLACE AND HONG KONG IS INCLUDED IN THIS.

THE U.K. GOVERNMENT HAS NOT COME TO ANY FIRM CONCLUSIONS ABOUT

WHAT IT WILL DO GLOBALLY AND IT WILL NOT TAKE ANY DECISIONS ABOUT

ITEMS IN ITS DEFENCE ARRANGEMENTS SUCH AS HONG KONG FOR THE TIME

BEING. BEFORE IT DOES HONG KONG WILL OF COURSE BE CONSULTED.

WHEN I WAS IN LONDON I HAD RATHER INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT

THE PRESENT LEVEL OF THE GARRISON AND IT WAS AGREED THAT WE WOULD SEEK PROFESSIONAL ADVICE AS TO WHAT LEVEL OF GARRISON WE REALLY NEEDED NOW. I WOULD EMPHASISE THAT THE BRITISH COMMITMENT TO

HONG KONG IS NOT AT ISSUE. IT WAS REAFFIRMED BY MR ENNALS IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS VERY SOON AFTER THIS GOVERNMENT TOOK OFFICE. BUT THE QUESTION OF WHAT LEVEL OF GARRISON IS REQUIRED AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE REVIEWED FROM TIME TO TIME, AND SUCH A REVIEW WILL NOW TAKE PLACE AND WE WILL SEE WHAT COMES OUT OF IT.

Q: ARE YOU THEREFORE SUGGESTING, SIR, THAT THE FORCE LEVEL OF THE GARRISON MAY BE REDUCED;

A: THIS WOULD DEPEND UPON THE OUTCOME OF THE REVIEW. THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT WE HAVE THE GARRISON THAT WE NEED.

MACLEHOSE

FILES

HKIOD

DEFENCE D

NEWS D

PS

SIR D WATSON

MR MALE

SIR G ARTHUR

MR THOMSON

MR WILFORD

2 -

!