TNAG-0543-FCO40-638-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 103

6+

SECRET UK EYES A

Constitutionally, it is open to HMG to enforce on

Hong Kong whatever financial contribution we wish; but

to do this would provoke a major crisis which would

endanger our whole relationship with the colony. We have

therefore to attempt to proceed by agreement.

The aim

will have to be to persuade Hong Kong to agree to pay a

substantially larger contribution than in the past.

Thus,

while we shall have to try to strike a hard bargain, we

must attempt, if at all possible, to avoid pushing matters

to the point of breakdown.

7.

Since the reduced garrison now proposed is the

minimum which the Chiefs of Staff believe necessary to

carry out commitments, there is no scope for any further

reduction to cut costa. The MOD view is that any smaller

garrison would not only be unable to cope with internal

and rural areas disorder affecting the border as well as the towns /, but

would also be intrinsically unviable. The FCO would view

with the gravest concern any hint of possible total

withdrawal.

Thus, any attempt to use the possibility of

a further reduction in the garrison as a threat would have

to be handled with extreme caution. The main arguments

will have to be economic.

Hong Kong Objectives

8..

Hong Kong's primary aim will be to maintain HMG's

political commitment to the present status of the colony

and to this end to retain a garrison (including a UK

element) sufficient to offer security against internal

disorder and a visible manifestation of HMG's commitment.

They will want to do this with minimum budgetary expenditure,

so as to avoid threatening social programmes or increasing

-3cm

SECRET UK EYES A