TNAG-0541-FCO40-636-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 83

I

BORET

Foreign and Commonwealth Office London SW1

L M Davies Esq CMG OBE Secretary for Security Colonial Secretariat HONG KONG

Telephone 01-

Your reference

Our reference HKK 10/1

Date 8 July 1975,

20

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LAST

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Dear Bein

190

NEXT

REF.

117 SIGNALS UNIT

1.

2.

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168

Thank you for your letters of 23 May and 18 June.

We passed a copy of the first letter to the MOD, urging them to reconsider whether they could agree to meet the cost of continued RAF operation of the Unit for civil purposes until the end of March and also asking them whether they could do anything to encourage the Americans to meet your requirements on servicing and spares. On the latter (your letter of 18 June also refers), it is our understanding that the US Consul-General has now at last told you that he has authority to continue the supply of spares from 13th Air Force in the Philippines. If this is so, there is now an assured basis for the continuance of the radar operation and the only remaining questions are (i) who should operate the radar until Cable and Wireless can take over and (ii) costs.

3.

On costs, I am afraid that the MOD_are adamant that these cannot be met from the UK Defence Budget. The closure of 117 Signals Unit was one of the economies specifically allowed for in the Defence Review. Since then, the Defence Budget has suffered further cuts; and, relatively small as it may appear to be, the MOD are not prepared to forgo this economy on which they have counted.

It is certainly unfortunate that, in a letter of 15 November 1972 (which incidentally we have not seen), the Chief Staff Officer at HBF should have assured the Director of Civil Aviation that the status of the Unit would remain unchanged for the next decade. But I understand that the CSO made clear at the time that he had not consulted the MOD about this; and the MOD do not regard his letter as forming any sort of commitment to continue to operate the radar irrespective of a military requirement.

5.

The MOD are prepared, however, to continue to provide. the necessary RAF personnel to man the radar until 1 April 1976, provided that the cost of these personnel is borne by the Hong Kong Government. Such an arrangement would fall entirely outside the on-going discussions about the size, composition and costs of the future garrison; and we would hope (in view of para. 3 of your letter of 23 May) that this would leave you with ample time to arrange for Cable and Wireless to take over.

SECRET

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By 28/7

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