TNAG-0538-FCO40-633-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 206

ROLYES

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

Main Building Whitehall London SW1A2HB

Telephone 01-9957022: 218 2241

See Distribution

39

Your reference

Our reference D/DS6 46/66/1

Date

February 1974

讨论

if it

provided at

a-

Flo member

might also join the Working

Party

HONG KONG

1..

42/454

At AUS(GS)'s meeting this morning wo gave preliminary consideration to the conduct of the further study of the Hong Kong Garrison for which DCFC approval will shortly be sought, subject to COS clearance this week of the draft DOFC submission. The following summarises our main conclusions.

Summary of Main Conclusions

2.

The meeting agreed that the framework of the study would be the production of a report listing the composition, and implication, of a gerrison costing about £35m (at Estimates 75/76 prices) which would be examined within the MOD prior to its submission to 008. In order that the Hong Kong Government should be closely involved, and to ensure that all the local factors bearing on the issues were taken fully into account, the report would have to be drawn up in Hong Kong and this should be done by a specially constituted joint Working Party comprising representatives from both the British Forces Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Government. To ensure that the Working Party's approach was consistent with its objectives as seen from the MOD, and to enable quick communication with the MOD if necessary on any unforeseen points which might arise, the MOD should be represented on the Working Party. AD of DP(C) would be the HOD nominee for this purpose. It would be for the Governor and CBFMK to decide between them on arrangements for chairing the Working Party. The PCO representative at the meeting considered that FCO interests in the Working Party would be covered by the adition of a reo pompër pt the final stage of its deliberations. The meeting /considered it would be prudent, in order to ensure that the

costing aspects of the Working Party's report wers consistent with earlier studies, if a DS1 representative were to join in at the drafting stage.

3. The meeting envisaged that the Working Party would submit ito report separately to the Governor and to CBPHR, each of whom would add his own thoughts on its conclusions and forward it to FCO and MOD respectively.

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