TNAG-0538-FCO40-633-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 40

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

DRAFT

ANNEX A to OPD(75)

1.

NON-NATO COMMITMENTS

The Defence Review established that our non-NATO commitments

have the lowest priority in strictly military terms and the

Defence Secretary's statement on 3 December proposed a substan-

tial measure of contraction in our commitments and stationed

forces outside the Alliance;

particular attention was drawn to

the 1968 decisions of the former Labour Administration to run down

our forces East of Suez. The Government and Allies affected by

our proposals were informed of them slightly before the Parlia-

mentary Statement and invited to make their further views known

before HMG reached final decisions. In general the news has been

received with little surprise and apparently sympathetic under-

standing of the problems which led to HMG's proposals.

A co-

ordinated plan for withdrawal from Singapore, Gan, Mauritius

and the West Indies by 1 April 1976 is now being prepared. Reactions

and the present state of consultations are described below.

Far East

2. Hong Kong. Ministers decided on 9 September (OPD(74) 14th

Meeting Item 3) that the Hong Kong Government should be asked to

contribute not less then three quarters of the cost of the smaller

garrison. The discussions between officials and the Governor an

are contin January indicated that they are unlikely to agree to do so and the

are bang

issues have been put to Ministers separately.

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