TNAG-0617-FCO40-765-Strength-and-cost-of-UK-armed-forces-stationed-in-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 113

C

beginning to plan now, initial feactions here are Cat, while a Chotwugh reansumsment of the sin end cont of the germiron pa a whole will be neonusary before the DIA falls dus for renewal in 1995, so early a review of the teeth-um clement is unlikely to solve any purpose. I should therefore be grateful for your cum views as to why the Governor appeurs to be implying the need for such a review next year.

Parisio to to Boy Yop fovernent of Details of

lds de agreed to be a reasovaule price to pay for the rvoidance of an carly revicv of the support element. However I am somewhat concerned by the statement du peregron 10 of your letter of 6 April to The Governor thut by the end of the financial year 1970/79 it might be possible to achieve some real sevings against the accooned darrison personnel cents portrayed in the 100" There is, a danışer that in the course of time this comment might assume the status of a firm undertaking.

C.

Locally Penloved Givilians, I note that in paragraph 5 of your letter of 6 April you say that you hope that FOD V111 find it possible to exclude Hong Kong from the incidence of arbitrary cuts which might bear on locally engaged civilian mushare. As you might expect, I am afraid that there cea be no question of Hong Kong being made a special case as far as reductions in 1X numbers are concerned.

d. Reinforcement. 3 The Governor's wish to be consulted before any change is made in reinforcement capabilities Las been brought to the attention of the FCO vho will take it into account. The importance of the Brunei battalion for the reinforcement of Hong Hong, and the evident undesirability of any rupercussions for the BOA, are points to which full recognition will continue to be paid in the MOD's consideration of policy on Brunei.

We vill of course keep you in touch with developments on Brmel but, as you will be sware, it is likely to be several months yet before final decisions on this are reached.

Yours sincerely,

Edward Alone

2

PAT EN UIMA