Reference......
SECRET
Mr Doble, Defence Dept.
CAVED
ང་
FEDIAS
HICK 1071
DEFENCE REVIEW NON-NATO REDUCTIONS
1.
A
You asked on 10 February for comments on
DP Note 201/75(C) (Revised Draft).
2.
We
There is a typing error in paragraph 8. "May 1976" should read "May 1975". More important, however, is that the MOD are preparing to complete the run-down to 5 major units by 1 April 1976, i.e. within the period of the present Defence Agreement which runs until the end of March 1976. That Agreement provides that reductions amounting to one major unit in the present garrison would trigger consultations and possibly a reduction in the Hong Kong contribution. have hitherto assured Hong Kong that no reductions are contemplated until the present Agreement expires. On the other hand, once the shape of the new garrison is agreed with Hong Kong, I do not expect that the Hong Kong Government would, provided that they were consulted, object to most of the run-down taking place before April 1976, since this would reduce transitional costs in the period of the successor agreement, during which they are likely to have to meet a much higher proportion of the total than they do at present.
3.
In commenting on paragraph 8 of the MOD draft, therefore, I suggest you should say that, while we do not object in principle to the proposed timetable of withdrawals, they would need to be discussed and agreed with the Hong Kong Government; and that whenever the agreed timetable, nothing could be said about it in public and no preparatory moves could be undertaken until the consultations with the Hong Kong Government are complete, i.e. until May 1975.
11 February 1975
CC
Mr Jackson, Defence Dept.
A C Stuart
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Dept.
SECRET
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.