TNAG-0480-FCO40-545-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 31

AG/47/19/3

From: I D Dawson, DS8

SECRET

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

Main Building Whitehall London SW1A 2HB

Telephone 01-2186214 (Direct Dialling)

01-218 9000

(Switchboard)

B H Dinwiddy, Esq

Hong Kong and Indian Ocean Dept

Foreign & Commonwealth office

20

Page 1 of 1 Page,

126

260

Your reference

Our reference

D/DS8/39/8

Date

December 1974

Dear Dinwiddy,

CLOSURE OF 117 SIGNALS UNIT, HONG KONG

1. We decided earlier this year that we could dispense with both the operational and intelligence benefits of 117 Signals Unit at Tai Mo Shan and that we would arrange that the Unit should be closed as part of the Defence Review.

2. The Hong Kong Government must be consulted on the closure, since the site has a secondary air traffic control function on which they have spent sums of money. We do not anticipate any strong objections on operational grounds now that alternative facilities are available from a secondary radar. Since the Unit is part of the Defence Review package, however, I assume confirmed in our recent telephone conversation - that it would not be wise to approach Hong Kong about this item in isolation from the other Defence Review proposals.

3. We are obliged to inform the Americans, who play a large part in the Unit's functions, of our intention to close it; our agreement requires that we give six months' notice, although we hope that we shall not be held to this. We should therefore be grateful for your advice on how we might most expeditiously clear the closure with Hong Kong and for your co-operation on making it a point for early resolution in the Defence Review consultations.

în avance of Ardewan,

I spoke

to Mr Thatcher (218.2638)

& suggested the letter and be copied to AJ Ward (386) who is working

Yours

Ian Dawson

defuited costing at. in preparatio

for next week's disancions.

I D DAWSON

SECRET

SECRET

Thatcher 2638

BH finada

31/12

30 13/1 BU