TNAG-0540-FCO40-635-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 55

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DATE 20/3/25

PSO/CDE

ACUS (POL) ADDS (CPS)

MA/COS

AUG D. STAFF

PS/CAB

Recientes

CPL.

DCDS (1)

DUS (7)

CXK032 20/1152 079C1571

CORRECTED

Secord

VERSION

126

C&S Reproduction Copy No...............................................、

...of..33..... Copte.

SECRET

RECEIVED IN

REGISTRY No. 26

·SE 24MART975

0P13/398/1

CONSER CI THIEUTP'N

No. COMICS

CRIE

SECRET AY

DEP CO

AST21

A 2

A ECG 3

MAE

FOR CXK

201

PRIORITY 200400Z MAR

· FROM CBF HONG KONG ΤΟ

MODUK

SE CRE.T

A ST3 4

A 50 5

A 500 6

03.08D

FILE

DIG WWW/LFD

HONG KONG SEC 02 PD FOR SECCOS FOR THE INFORMATION OF TH+ COS FROM CBF ONE PD THE GOVERNOR HAS SIGNALLED THE FCO ON THE SUBJECT OF THE WORKING PARTY REPORT CMM ON A HONG KONG GARRISON COSTING POUNDS 35 MILLION CMM WHICH WILL SOON BE IN THE HANDS OF THE FCO AND AUS(GS) PD HE AND I WILL CMM BEFORE EASTER CMM BE GOING OVER THE GROUND WITH THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A SOUNDER AND BROADER BASED NEGOTIATING POSITION PQ I AGREE WITH THE GOVERNOR ABOUT THE GOOD JOB DONE BY THE WORKING PARTY AND ALSO WITH THE NEED NOW FOR CALM REFLECTION ON ALL SIDES BEFORE ENTERING INTO FINAL NEGOTIATIONS PD MY VIEWS ON THE REPORT ARE OF COURSE SUBJECT TO SOME EXTENT TO THE OUTCOME OF OUR DISCUSSIONS. WITH UMELCO BUT AT THIS STAGE THEY CAN BE SUMMARISED AS FOLLOWS TWO PD I ENDORSE THE ARGUMENTS AND OPTIONS SET OUT BY THE JOINT

PAGE 2 RBMYAD 023 SECRET

PD

WORKING PARTY PO OF THE FIVE OPTIONS REFERRED TO IN THE PAPER - THE FOUR NEW ONES (OPTIONS A-D) AND THE PREFERRED SOLUTION CHM THE LATTER IS THE ONLY ONE I WOULD VOLUNTARILY ACCEPT PD ALLOWING FOR THE PRESENT IMPROVED RELATIONS WITH CHINA CMM AND MAKING THE REASON- ABLE APPRECIATION THAT WITH ONLY AN IMPROBABLE INTERVENTION FROM PEKING CMM THERE WOULD NOT BE SIMULTANEOUS TROUBLE ON THE BORDER AND THE URBAN AREAS CMM AND CERTAINLY NOT WITHOUT WARNIN00/20:UÕE PREFERRED SOLUTION CHM COSTED NOW AT POUNDS 39M CHM IS STILL THE ONLY ONE WHICH IS ENTIRELY SATISFACTORY FROM A MILITARY POINT OF VIEW PD IT IS THE ONLY ONE WHICH GUARANTEES PROPER PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT TO THE POLICE IN THE LIGHT OF THE FULL RANGE OF POTENTIALLY RELEVANT THREATS PD INDEED THE EXTRANEOUS FACTORS WHICH HAVE IMPROVED THE SITUATION AND LOWERED THE THREAT SINCE 1967 HAVE ALREADY BEEN LARGELY DISCOUNTED IN THE REDUCTION OF THE PRESENT GARRISON DOWN TO THE PREFERRED SOLUTION SEMI CLN AND THERE ARE HOREOVER A NUMBER OF NEW LOCAL FACTORS SINCE THEN WHICH ARE LIKELY TO MAKE THE TASK MORE DIFFICULT PO THE PREFERRED SOLUTION IS ALSO THE ONLY ONE WHICH ENSURES BOTH A FULLY VIABLE NAVAL PRESENCE AND THAT THE FORCES CHM WHICH REMAIN HERE CHM ARE TRAINED IN ALL RESPECTS AS SOLDIERS AS DISTINCT FROM GENDARMERIE

SECRET

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